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Consumer Information

6 February 2003

Nickel in Water
Questions and Answers

These are questions which DWI considers may be asked by consumers. Some questions are repeated, expressed differently for clarity.

Kettles and Nickel

  1. How do I know if this affects me? What can I do to reduce the risk?
    If your kettle has an exposed element check with your supplier if it is stainless steel or another combination of metal including nickel. If you are concerned consider using a kettle with stainless steel or a concealed element. 

  2. What is nickel?
    Nickel is a metal that is commonly used in alloys as a protective coating for other metals and as a base for chromium plating. It is found very widely in the environment and occurs naturally in food.

  3. How do I tell if my kettle has a stainless steel exposed element instead of a nickel coated copper element?
    You should ask your supplier

  4. If my kettle has a flat base does this effect the nickel content as well?
    No, our research did not show this to be so 

  5. What is an element?
    The coil in the bottom of hte kettle that heats the water.

  6. Am I affected - I use a stovetop kettle?
    No

  7. What other household equipment apart from kettles could cause that change in the quality of water? 
    Any other equipment with an exposed nickel-plated element, such as a coffee maker.

  8. What are the names of the product affected?
    Only eight kettles, all new, were tested out of the wide range that is available.   It is therefore not possible to list the products that may be affected. If concerned you should check with your supplier.

  9. What should people do if they have just bought a new kettle.
    They should check whether the kettle has a stainless steel element and, if not, look to replacing with a stainless steel or concealed element kettle.

  10. What should people do with old kettles?
    Nothing, all the nickel is likely to have gone.

Jug Filters

  1.  Why were jug filters included in the research?
    The initial research was to look at the effect of jug filters on tap water.  When it was discovered that these could make the water slightly more acidic, the effect of boiling the filtered water was then considered. The results indicated a  higher pickup of nickel from kettles with an exposed nickel element.  Although further research is required,  it is likely that boiled filtered water will have a higher concentration of nickel than boiled unfiltered water.

  2. Which jug water filters were tested?
    All - Boots, Kenwood and Brita

  3. What about the Brita filter Kettle?
    Not tested, but Brita says that the kettle has a concealed element and so is not affected.

  4. Do all jug filters make water slightly acidic?
    Yes. Jug filters contain a small amount of ion exchange resins that soften the water.   This process results in the filtered water becoming slightly more acidic than the unfiltered water.

  5. Low pH. What does this signify and what is bad with that?
    Low pH shows that the liquid is acid. This in itself is not bad.  Fruit   juice is acid, as are many carbonated soft drinks and wine. But when water is acid it can increase its ability to attack metal

  6. Can jug filtered water still be drunk without boiling
    Yes, apart from the increase in acidity, the filtered water did not breach any of the regulatory standards applying at the tap.

General and Health- related questions

  1. If the boiled water contains levels of nickel many times higher than     the drinking water standard, how come DWI says that the quality of water is so high?
    The water delivered to the tap is of very high quality and is required to meet all the regulatory standards.  The DWI and water companies cannot influence what consumers do to water once it leaves the tap.  

  2. What are the effects of drinking boiled water with a concentration of  Nickel higher than the drinking water standard? What have your studies found out so far?
    The increased concentration of nickel may exacerbate eczema in people who are allergic to nickel.  On the other hand, it may desensitise people and reduce their allergic reaction to nickel.  Further studies will provide more information about exposure.

  3. How will this affect my unborn baby?
    The amounts of nickel in water are too low to be likely to have any  effect on unborn babies

  4. I use the kettle to boil water for my baby. Should I be concerned?
    The COT says no.  If you have concerns you should consult with your doctor or paediatrician.

  5. I have used an exposed element kettle for a number of years.   Will that make me ill in the future?
    No, there are no longer-term effects.

  6. Why were we not told about this before?
    The DWI published this report as soon as we received the assessment of the health risk from FSA.

  7. Please elaborate on the effect of nickels.
    The only known effect of exposure to low doses in humans is allergy.  Effects in laboratory animals are the basis of the World Health Organisation guideline value of 0.02mg/l but the United States Environmental Protection Agency set an advisory value for lifetime exposure of 0.1mg/l based on the same studies.  There is a significant margin of safety built into these guideline.

  8. How will nickel affect me? Which group of people is more susceptible to the effect of nickel?
    The most susceptible group consists of those who are allergic to nickel through contact with nickel coated jewellery.

  9. Have the kettle, filter and other water heating appliance manufacturers been informed of your findings?
    Yes

  10. What about the US NTP 10th report on carcinogens which adds nickel to the list of known human carcinogens.
    This applies to the inhalation, that is the breathing in, of specific nickel compounds found in industrial settings. It does not apply to consumption of nickel in water.

  11. Do I need to use a jug filter to remove the smell of chlorine from tap water?
    Use of a filter is by personal choice. All traces of chlorine will evaporate if a jug of water is placed in the fridge for a few hours.

  12. What further research is proposed?
    Studies on soft water and a larger number of samples from cosumer premises where filters are in use.
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Drinking Water Inspectorate,
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Published 6 February 2003
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