Nickel concentrations in human parotid saliva.

Measurements of nickel were performed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry upon specimens of parotid saliva from 38 healthy adults. The mean concentration of nickel in saliva was 1.9 +/- 1.0 microng Ni per liter (range = 0.8 to 4.5). There was no significant correlation between the concentrations of salivary nickel and protein. No significant differences were observed between the mean concentrations of nickel in saliva samples from (1) men vs women; (2) health center employees vs naval recruits; (3) caries-free subjects vs caries-prone subjects; or (4) non-smokers vs cigarette smokers.