Basic information of nickel

Nickel and its compounds are considered to be carcinogenic. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of people are sensitive to nickel. Repeated contact with it leads to skin complaints (dermatitis). Such people should avoid contact with nickel, which can be found in jewelry. Workers who have breathed very large amounts of nickel compounds have developed chronic bronchitis and lung and nasal cancers. Nickel carbonyl is a very toxic gas.
Nickel is a hard, silvery-white metal, which is malleable and ductile. The metal can take on a high polish and it resists tarnishing in air.
Nickel is ferromagnetic and is a fair conductor of heat and electricity. Most nickel compounds are blue or green.Nickel is used in corrosion-resistant alloys, such as stainless steel. Tubing made from a copper-nickel alloy is used in desalination plants. This alloy is naturally resistant to corrosion by seawater and to biofouling. Many coins contain nickel. Nickel steel is used for burglar-proof vaults and armour plate. Nickel is also used in batteries - for example NiCd (nickel-cadmium) rechargeable batteries - and in magnets.