Typical soils contain large quantity of nickel. The chief area is aresenides and sulphides.

Nickel is used as a component in some alloys and for metal plating for catalysts, for
batteries and in certain fungicides. Many nickel salts are soluble in water. Contamination
in wqaater is due to the industrial discharge to river of effluent containing nickel
compounds.
Levels are much lower and nearly 1 mg/l have been reported in surface waters. Nickel is
removed by conventional water treatment, and levels in treated water are generally lower
than in untreated water.
Nickel is a relatively non-toxic element. It is essential for animal nutrition and most
probably essential to man. Cdrtain nickel compounds have been shown to be carcinogenic
in animal experiments. However soluble nickel compounds are not currently regarded as
either human or animal carcinogens but high concentrations of nickel can react with DNA,
and can result damage in DNA.
Nickel levels in tap water have been identified. Limited data suggested that concentrations
of 2-5 ug/l are fairly typical; elevated levels may some times be found specially where
nickel-plated plumbing fitings are used.
Levels in drinking water of 5 mg/l did not produce toxic effects in long-term studies in
roadents. The toxicological data available at present indicate that a guideline value for
nickel in drinking water is not required.
Principle
Nickel is seperated from the other ions by extraction of the nickel heptoxime complex with
CHCl3; reextracted into the aquaous phase with HCl, and determined colorimetrically in
the acidic solution with heptoxime in the presence of an oxidant. Dimethyl glyxime may be
used instead of heptoxime to develop the colour with nickel. The conditions of colour
formation are identical.
Apparatus
1. Spectrophotometer for use at 445 nm, with 1 cm cell or filter photometer with voilet
filter.
2. Seperating funnels.