No abstract

Nickel release from Danish one krone coins and metal buttons from jeans has been measured at 20 degrees C in distilled water and at 35 degrees C in distilled water and synthetic sweat. The temperature elevation increased the nickel release from the coins and two of the nine metal buttons investigated. Obviously the sensitivity to temperature elevation differs from one alloy to another.

The nickel content of water specimens from consecutive stages during the cleaning process in a Danish hospital was analyzed. Statistically significant increases of the nickel concentrations were found from step to step of the cleaning, eventually exceeding the theoretical sensitizing safety limit. The relevance of the findings in relation to hand eczema is discussed.

ABSTRACT. A 56‐year‐old woman, who ingested 2 g of thallium sulfate, was successfully treated with long‐term hemodialysis for 200 hours during ten days, combined with forced diuresis and Prussian blue. The effect of the artificial kidney dialysis was determined by repeated analysis of the thallium concentration in the dialysis bath and in blood samples. During the first 120 hours of hemodialysis, 143 mg of thallium was eliminated via the artificial kidney and 110 mg via the urinary tract. The present case of acute thallium intoxication is the first in which long‐term hemodialysis has been used in the acute phase together with forced diuresis and Prussian blue. The data obtained are compared to those obtained from cases treated with hemodialysis in the past. It is concluded that treatment with hemodialysis should be considered as an important supplement to treatment with forced diuresis and Prussian blue in cases of thallium intoxication.

In recent years the importance of internal exposure to nickel in patients with recurrent hand eczema and nickel allergy has become evident. The present study was performed in order to investigate the value of urinary nickel determinations as an index of oral nickel intake. After oral administration of 5.6 mg nickel (as the sulfate), increased nickel excretion was found over the following 2-3 days. We conclude that consecutive urinary nickel determinations are able to disclose variations in oral intake of nickel.