Nickel carbonyl

Synonyms

Nickel tetracarbonyl; Tetracarbonyl nickel; [NIOSH] UN1259

Category

Other Toxic Gases & Vapors

Description

Colorless to yellow liquid with a musty odor. [Note: A gas above 110 degrees F.] [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Used to refine nickel by the Mond process; also used to deposit nickel films and as a catalyst to produce organic chemicals; Generated in reactions between fine nickel powder and carbon monoxide; [ACGIH] Workers are exposed mainly in nickel refining. Exposure may occur in electroplating and in the electronics industry. Smokers may be exposed. [Sullivan, p. 981-2]

Comments

Liquid causes second or third degree burns after short contact; [CHRIS] Highly toxic by inhalation with poor warning properties; Pulmonary edema may be delayed for 12 to 36 hours after exposure. Nickel carbonyl causes liver damage in inhalation and intravenous studies of animals. The estimated lethal dose in humans is 30 ppm for 340 minutes with death secondary to lung injury. Urinary nickel levels are useful in medical surveillance of exposed workers. Epidemiology studies provide equivocal evidence that nickel carbonyl causes lung cancer.[ACGIH] The chest x-ray may show evidence of pulmonary edema after nickel carbonyl exposure. [Sullivan, Table 16.3] Workers exposed to soluble nickel salts had increased nasal dysplasia and lung fibrosis. [Ullmann] Lung injury after nickel carbonyl exposure includes delayed pulmonary edema and rapidly infiltrating fibrosis. [Harber, p. 499] Acute findings following heavy exposure may include headache, delirium, seizures, and coma. [LaDou, p. 480] In high-dose animal studies, nickel and nickel carbonyl cause birth defects. [Frazier] See "ORGANOMETALS." See "Nickel" and linked occupational diseases.

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

Yes

0.05 ppm, as Ni

0.001 ppm, as Ni

2 ppm, as Ni

Excerpts from Documentation for IDLHs

Other human data: It has been stated that 3 ppm for 30 minutes is the probable short­term exposure limit [Kincaid et al. 1956].

400 mm Hg

0.5 ppm

Odor Threshold High

3 ppm

LC50 (rat) = 35 ppm/30 min

Explanatory Notes

Odor threshold from AIHA; Vapors are heavier than air and can explode in air at 20 deg C; [Sullivan, p. 981] VP from HSDB;

Reference Link #2

may ignite at ambient temp

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Other CNS neurotoxin

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Skin burns

Established

Human carcinogen

Confirmed Animal

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Asthma, occupational
• Contact dermatitis, allergic
• Encephalopathy, acute toxic
• Pneumonitis, toxic

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Electroplating
• Semiconductor Manufacturing

Activities

Activities with risk of exposure:

• Smoking cigarettes