Nickel in particulate matter

Ein rauchender Schornstein vor bewölktem Himmel.Click to enlarge
Nickel is emitted by power plants or industrial processes.
Source: jzehnder / fotolia.com

Nickel belongs to the heavy metals and usually occurs bound to other substances. In ambient air arsenic is measured bound to particulate matter.

Table of Contents

 

Emission sources

Nickel is mainly emitted by combustion processes – e.g. by the petroleum processing, but also by the combustion of fossil fuels at traffic or in power plants. Another important source is the metal industry

 

Health risks

Nickel is mainly obtained from food although it can hardly be resorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. Occupational inhaling of nickel vapors may cause a degeneration of the nasal mucosa, asthma and pneumoconiosis. But for the general population Nickel is known to be a contact allergen. Nickel compounds are classified to be cancerogenic, metallic Nickel is probably cancerogenic.

 

Air quality standards

There is an Europe-wide target value of 20 ng/m³ as annual mean that is valid since 1 January 2013.

 

Air pollution

Since 2007 the target value was exceeded 16 times at four stations close to industry and at one station in the urban background (2022). At one station the concentration of 93 ng/m³ (2008) was high above the target value.

The average concentration in urban and rural areas is about 1 µg/m³. Higher values are measured close to industry (3 ng/m³ at the moment). Lowest concentrations are measured at the very remote stations of the Environment Agency (below 1 ng/m³).

Nickel in particulate matter - annual mean values 2007 - 2021
Nickel in particulate matter - annual mean values 2007 - 2021
Source: Umweltbundesamt II 4.2 mit Daten der Messnetze der Länder und des Bundes
 

Nickel in particulate matter - Annual tabulation

Here the annual tabulations from 2007 onwards can be found (station-by-station).

Share:
Article:
Printer-friendly version
Tags:
 Nickel  Schwermetall  Immission  Luftqualität  Luft  Belastung