Environmental Science

Environmental Science

Nickel is a naturally-occurring metal, the 24th most abundant element in the periodic table. Nickel occurs in air, water, sediments, and soil, as a result of a variety of natural sources and anthropogenic processes. Nickel is an essential micronutrient to plants and microbial processes. However, excess nickel may cause adverse effects to plants and animals. Global regulatory approaches for environmental protection focus on identifying nickel concentrations that do not pose risk to ecological communities in water, sediment, and soil. A recent development in metals environmental risk assessment involves understanding the role that natural chemical parameters play in modifying effects of nickel exposure, and to incorporate these interactions in environmental regulations.

Fact Sheets

If you want more information on nickel and environmental risk assessment, NiPERA Inc. has developed a range of Fact Sheets that describe the outcome of a major regulatory initiative called the European Union’s Existing Substances Risk Assessment (EU RA). The EU RA served as a precursor for other European regulatory processes such as REACH and the Water Framework Directive and have influenced regulatory approaches around the world. Major advancements in nickel ecotoxicology and risk assessment were achieved through the EU RA, and the Environmental Fact Sheet series describes the origin and impact of these advancements.