Urinary and fecal elimination of nickel in relation to air-borne nickel in a battery factory

Nickel in urine and in air from the breathing zone of 18 male workers in a battery factory was determined weekly during 11 consecutive weeks. The study started immediately following three weeks of Christmas vacation. The nickel levels in air varied but did not increase with time. The average urinary excretion of nickel showed an increase during the first weeks, after which a steady state seemed to have been reached. There was a considerable individual variation in both exposure levels and urine nickel levels. However, a correlation between the averages of nickel in air and urine could be demonstrated on a group basis. In a second study, during one week, measurements of nickel in air and feces were made on 15 of the workers. A significant correlation was found between nickel in air and fecal nickel. Smoking habits did not seem to influence neither urinary nor fecal nickel concentrations.