Nickel
Heavy metalIARC Group 1A metal in plating, alloys, welding fume, and coins/hardware.
Where it comes from in service
Welding, plating, and metalworking.
How it harms the body
Inhaled nickel compounds irritate the airways and sinuses and are linked to respiratory cancer; nickel is also a common skin allergen.
How long it stays in you
Cleared over days to weeks; inhalation injury can persist.
IARC lists certain nickel compounds as carcinogenic to the respiratory tract.
Chronic airway injury and elevated respiratory-cancer risk with ongoing inhalation.
What to ask your clinician about
- •Pulmonary function testing and chest imaging
Bring this to your clinician and your VSO — they decide what testing and care, if any, is right for you. For general, whole-person ways to support your body, see Whole health.
Sources: ATSDR ToxFAQs: Nickel · IARC Group 1. Drafted from the government's and science's own record — VA presumptive lists (PACT Act, 38 CFR, Camp Lejeune), ATSDR ToxFAQs, IARC, and NTP. Sources are cited on every page, and this library has not yet been reviewed by a named clinician or toxicologist. This is documentation to bring to your clinician and VSO — not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a determination of service connection. Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1.