Nickel, 24 Hour, Urine Clinical Information Discusses
physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as
they relate to a laboratory test Nickel (Ni) is a silvery white
metal that is widely distributed in the earth's crust. Nickel is
essential for the catalytic activity of some plant and bacterial
enzymes but its role in humans has not been defined. Elemental
nickel may be essential for life at very low concentrations and
is virtually nontoxic. Nickel is commonly used in industry. It
is a pigment in glass, ceramics, and fabric dyes; is converted
in the Mond process to nickel carbonyl, Ni(CO)4 and used as a
catalyst in petroleum refining and in the plastics industry, is
frequently employed in the production of metal alloys (which are
popular for their anticorrosive and hardness properties) in
nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, and is used as a catalyst
in hydrogenation of oils. Ni(CO)4, a liquid with low vapor
pressure, is 1 of the most toxic chemicals known to man. Ni(CO)4
is absorbed after inh