engleski

Preliminary investigation on high nickel release from coins

The nickel presence in coins has been the subject of many debates. It is known that nickel can potentially contribute to allergenic reactions on human skin, and that this allergy affects more than 10% of women and several percent of men in industrialized countries. A high nickel release was confirmed for One and Two Euro coins. Their allergenic impact on humans was monitored and frequently described in recent investigations. In order to estimate the amounts of nickel and other allergenic metals present in Croatian coins being released during everyday manipulation, the preliminary skin test experiment presented here was performed. For this purpose the following coins have been chosen: 5, 10, 20 and 50 lipa, and 1 kuna coins. The compositions of the alloys used for these coins are as follows: 72.5% Cu and 27.5% Zn (5 and 10 lipa coins), 5% Ni and 95% Fe (20 and 50 lipa) and 65% Cu, 23.2% Ni and 11.8% Zn (1 kuna). Special attention was paid to the nickel containing coins. The following experiment was performed for 45 h. This exposure time was chosen due to the EU “ nickel directive” EN 1811 concerning objects designed to be in direct and prolonged contact with the skin. An exposure period of one week (minimum 40 h) was taken into account. During this period an experiment included exposure to the Croatian coins which were taped on the skin. After 45 h the coins were removed and the resulting marks were compared. The imprints of the nickel containing coins were visible, whereas the coins containing no nickel (5 and 10 lipa coins) did not cause any allergic reactions. The 20 lipa, 50 lipa and 1 kuna coins caused strong allergic reactions with erythema, infiltration and formation of vesicles. This indicates that nickel release from Croatian coins is actually high. Therefore, its quantity should be determined in future. Such experiments should be guided according to the EN1811 tests which are relevant to the long-term salvation upon the contact with skin. They will be performed in order to estimate the real quantity of nickel being extracted from Croatian coins due to everyday manipulation.

nickel release; skin allergy; coins

Sažetak je objavljen u časopisu Toxicology Letters, 164(2006):(S1)S1-S324