Nickel subsulfide

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Substance name	Nickel subsulfide
CASR number	12035-72-2
Molecular formula	Ni₃S₂
Synonyms	Nickel sulfide; heazlewoodite; nickel sulfide (3:2); nickel tritadisulfied; trinickel disulfide

Physical and chemical properties *Physical properties:* Nickel subsulfide is a pale yellowish-bronze, metallic, lustrous, crystalline solid. Melting Point (°C): 790 Boiling Point (°C): --- *Chemical properties:* Nickel subsulfide is not soluble in water, or in organic solvents.
Common uses Nickel subsulfide is produced in nickel refineries and used in the manufacture of lithium batteries.
Sources of emissions Point sources The primary sources of nickel subsulfide are the industries that manufacture it or use it in production. It will be produced in nickel refining and used in the manufacture of lithium batteries. These industries are potential emitters of nickel subsulfide as a dust into the atmosphere. Diffuse sources, and point sources included in aggregated emissions data Sub-threshold facilities in the above industries. Natural sources Nickel subsulfide is a naturally occurring mineral in the earth's crust, known as heazelwoodite. Mobile sources There are no known sources of mobile emissions of nickel subsulfide. Consumer products which may contain Nickel subsulfide Lithium primary batteries are the only known consumer product containing nickel subsulfide.
Health effects How might I be exposed to Nickel subsulfide? Workers in the industries that use or produce nickel subsulfide are at risk of exposure. Consumers can be exposed to nickel subsulfide by exposure to air from production facilities, processing facilities, and disposal sites using or receiving nickel subsulfide, or from the misuse of lithium batteries. By what pathways might Nickel subsulfide enter my body? Nickel subsulfide will enter the body if we breathe in contaminated air. Relative health hazard On a health hazard spectrum of 0 - 3 Nickel subsulfide registers 2. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the evaluation of its tendency to cause, or not cause cancer and/or birth defects. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Human exposure is reflected in the NPI rank given to this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as a health hazard is arsenic at 2.3 and one of the lowest scores is ammonia at 1.0. Health guidelines Worksafe Australia: The eight hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 1mg/m³. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (NHMRC and ARMCANZ, 1996): For nickel: Maximum of 0.02 mg/L (i.e. 0.00002 g/L). See the Additional Information page for current health information. The Australian NOHSC National Exposure Standards Database link is probably the most useful source of information. Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines. What effect might Nickel subsulfide have on my health? Symptoms of exposure to this type of compound may include skin sensitisation, and skin rashes. Inhalation may lead to asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary oedema. According to both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and Worksafe Australia, this product is a known carcinogen.
Environmental effects *Environmental Fate* Nickel subsulfide is a powder that will be deposited where wind currents from the manufacturing site carry it. Environmental Transport Industrial emissions of nickel subsulfide can produce elevated, but still low level concentrations in the atmosphere around the source. It will be carried by wind currents. Relative hazard to the environment On an environmental spectrum of 0 - 3 Nickel subsulfide registers 1.7. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the measure of its ability to remain active in the environment and whether it accumulates in living organisms. It does not take into exposure to the substance. Environmental exposure is reflected in the NPI rank for this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as an environmental hazard is oxides of nitrogen at 3.0 and one of the lower scores is carbon monoxide at 0.8. Environmental guidelines Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters (ANZECC, 1992): For nickel: Fresh waters Maximum of 15 to 150 micrograms per Litre (i.e. 0.000015 to 0.00015 g/L), depending on water hardness. Marine waters Maximum of 15 micrograms per Litre (i.e. 0.000015 g/L). See the Additional Information page for current environmental guidelines. Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines. What effect might Nickel subsulfide have on the environment? Nickel and its compounds have high acute (short-term) toxicity to aquatic life. They also have high chronic (long-term) toxicity to aquatic life. Insufficient data are available to evaluate the effects on plants, birds, or land animals. Nickel and its compounds are highly persistent in the environment and will bioaccumulate, or become concentrated in the tissues of animals.
Comparative data NPI Rank Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A risk ranking was given based on health and environmental hazard identification and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Some substances were grouped together at the same rank with 208 ranks in total. Nickel subsulfide was ranked as 32 out of the 208 ranks. Total hazard score (human health + environmental criteria) = 3.7.
Sources of information used in preparing this article Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1997), Public Health Statement Nickel subsulfide (accessed, May, 1999) Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) (1992) Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters ChemFinder WebServer Project (1995), Nickel subsulfide (accessed, May, 1999) Environmental Defense Fund (1998), Nickel subsulfide: The Chemical Scorecard: (accessed, May, 1999) Environmental Health Center, a division of the National Safety Council, Environment Writer -- Chemical Backgrounders Nickel Compounds 2 (July, 1997) (accessed, May, 1999) International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (accessed, May, 1999) National Environment Protection Council (1998a), National Environment Protection Measure for the National Pollutant Inventory (accessed, May, 1999) National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) (1996) Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. New Jersey Department of Health, Right to Know Program (1986), TRIFacts, Nickel (accessed, May, 1999) Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association (NiPERA), The Nickel Page (accessed, May, 1999) NTP Chemical Repository, Radian Corporation, Nickel subsulfide (AUGUST 29, 1991) (accessed, May, 1999) Technical Advisory Panel (1999), Final Report to the National Environment Protection Council. Worksafe Australia (1996), Exposure Standard Nickel sulphide roasting (fume & dust) (accessed, May, 1999)

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