Urinary and plasma concentrations of nickel as indicators of exposure to nickel in an electroplating shop.

The relationship between atmospheric exposure to nickel and urine and plasma nickel concentrations was studied by following four workers from an electroplating shop for one work week by daily measurements of the nickel concentration in workroom air with personal samplers and nickel concentrations in blood and urine samples collected before and after the work shift. The workroom air concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 0.16 mg/m3. The urinary and plasma nickel concentrations were higher in the samples taken after than before the work shift and a close positive correlation was found between the air nickel concentrations and the urine and plasma nickel concentrations, respectively. There was also a close correlation between urinary and plasma nickel concentrations. A slight accumulation of nickel occurred as judged from the increasing concentrations of nickel in the urine and plasma morning samples during the study week. This study indicates that both plasma and urine nickel concentrations may be used as biological indicators of exposure to soluble nickel compounds.