Serum nickel concentrations in hemodialysis patients with environmental exposure

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5764257

Hopfer, S M; Fay, W P; Sunderman, Jr, F W

Nickel was analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry in serum specimens from 22 healthy hospital workers and 30 patients with end-stage renal disease treated by extracorporeal hemodialysis, who resided in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, a city with extensive nickel mines and smelters. Samples of tap water from Sudbury contained 109 +/- 46 micrograms Ni per L (P less than 0.01 vs 0.4 +/- 0.2 micrograms Ni per L in corresponding water samples from Hartford, Connecticut). Serum nickel concentrations averaged 0.6 +/- 0.3 micrograms Ni per L in Sudbury hospital workers (P less than 0.05 vs 0.2 +/- 0.2 micrograms Ni per L in corresponding serums from 43 healthy hospital workers in Hartford). In serums collected post-treatment from Sudbury hemodialysis patients, nickel concentrations averaged 8.5 +/- 2.8 micrograms Ni per L, (i.e., 14-times the corresponding mean in Sudbury hospital workers, P less than 0.01), but were not significantly higher than the nickel concentrations in serums from 42 Hartford hemodialysis patients (7.2 +/- 2.2 micrograms Ni per L). This study confirms the presence of hypernickelemia in hemodialysis patients, but does not suggest that hemodialysis patients have significantly increased risk of nickel toxicity in Sudbury, compared to Hartford, despite the high nickel concentrations in Sudbury tap water. This favorable outcome attests to the efficient deionization of water used to prepare hemodialysis solutions in Sudbury.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5764257
• Journal Information: Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 19:3; ISSN ACLSC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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520200 -- Environment
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY
CANADA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONNECTICUT
CONTAMINATION
DIALYSIS
DISEASES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
FEDERAL REGION I
KIDNEYS
MAMMALS
MAN
MEDICAL PERSONNEL
METALS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
ONTARIO
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTRA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UROGENITAL SYSTEM DISEASES
USA
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION
WATER SUPPLY