Nickel arsenide is a compound of nickel and arsenic and component of the ore nickeline. It is highly toxic[citation needed] and a known carcinogen in humans. Uncontrolled decomposition of nickel arsenide can give rise to further toxic nickel compounds.[citation needed]
Toxicity
Nickel arsenide was one of the first compounds that revealed the toxicity of nickel. The damage to the miners' lungs was documented by Georgius Agricola in the 16th century: "kupfer-nickel" ores in the Schneeberg mines contained red-colored NiAs mineral originally mistaken for the copper ore, thus the German: kupfer (copper) in the name. The German: Nickel (demon) name was reflecting the damage it did to the health of the workers,[1] in addition to them being unable to extract any copper from this ore.
The acute oral LD50 in rats is about 6000 mg/kg.[2]
Preparation of NiAs
The main compound within nickeline, nickel arsenide (NiAs), can be prepared by direct combination of the elements:
Ni(s) + As(s) → NiAs(s)[3]
References
- ^ Sunderman 1989, p. 2.
- ^ Reagan 1992, p. 695.
- ^ Shriver, D.; Atkins, P. (2009). Shriver and Atkins' Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. p. 383. ISBN 978-1-4292-1820-7.
Sources
- Thompson, J.G.; Rae, A.D.; Withers, R.L.; Welberry, T.R.; Willis, A.C. (1988-08-10). "The crystal structure of nickel arsenide". Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics. 21 (22). IOP Publishing: 4007–4015. Bibcode:1988JPhC...21.4007T. doi:10.1088/0022-3719/21/22/016. ISSN 0022-3719.
- Sunderman, F.W. (1989). "A pilgrimage into the archives of nickel toxicology" (PDF). Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science. 19 (1): 1–16. ISSN 0091-7370. PMID 2644888. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- Reagan, E. L. (1992). "Acute Oral LD50 Study in Rats with Nickel Arsenide". Journal of the American College of Toxicology. 11 (6). SAGE Publications: 695. doi:10.3109/10915819209142088. ISSN 0730-0913.
External links
- "Toxicity classification". ECHA. 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2024-10-13.