Nickel's application and impacts
Applications
Nickel is known to be a good conductor of heat and electricity. As it is used for the preparation of alloys, it is resistant to heat and corrosion. It can sometimes be used to make stainless steel and other alloy steels. Due to its resistance of corrosion at very high temperatures, it is used in the modern world to make rocket engines and gas turbines.
In the Environment
It is generally inaccessible as it is found in the Earth's molten core but some of it has been dissolved at sea. The organic matter generally absorbs metals which proves why it can be found in considerable amounts of oil and coal. When mining, this element can be found in Canada, Russia, Australia and other places around the world.
Nickel can be released from power plants and incinerators, where it could be removed from air or end up in waste water streams. When Nickel is absorbed in soil particles or sediments, it becomes immobile. Nickel can restrict the grown of many plants although some of them do learn to develop some resistance against the element. Nickel is an essential element for most animals. Although they do have a limited amount to tolerate. If exceeding that amount it become very dangerous and unhealthy as it can result in cancer and different sites.
Health Effects
Humans generally use nickel for steal and other metal products such as jewelry but when being consumed it can be dangerous. Food can contain different amounts of nickel but chocolate and fatty food have more higher quantities of it. When eating vegetables that have come from different polluted soils, that may contain a marge boost of nickel.
Many people who smoke consume high amounts of nickel which goes into their lungs.
Nickel can be found in cleaning detergent for home use.
Humans can be exposed to nickel just by eating, breathing, drinking and smoking. It can be proven that nickel in some tolerable amounts is essential but too much could be dangerous for many peoples health.
An uptake of large quantities of nickel has the following consequences:
- Higher chances of development of lung cancer, nose cancer, larynx cancer and prostate cancer
- Sickness and dizziness after exposure to nickel gas
- Lung embolism
- Respiratory failure
- Birth defects
- Asthma and chronic bronchitis
- Allergic reactions such as skin rashes, mainly from jewelry
- Heart disorders
Jewelry Nickel Allergy