Chemical hazards in drinking-water - nickel
Nickel is considered in the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. The assessment was last updated in 2005. You can link from here to:
The Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality also consider for individual chemicals:
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Aspects of analytical achievability [Section 8.3, pp. 157-166]
pdf, 220kb -
Technical achievability (through treatment and other means) [Section 8.4, pp 166-184]
pdf, 220kb
Rolling revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality
Nickel is included in the plan of work of the rolling revision of the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality.
Background
The Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality Final Task Force Meeting (Geneva, 2003) noted that a new study reports significant addition of nickel to drinking-water through household appliances such as kettles and that results from a new reproductive effects study were likely to become available soon. The meeting recommended that the Working Group coordinator for additives consider aspects of exposure and their control and that WHO/PCS be asked to lead the updating of the risk assessment.
Expected end-product(s)
- Revised background document and summary statement for publication in first addendum to Third Edition;
- Addition to Policies and Procedures Manual concerning the lack of need for an uncertainty factor when using a critical study based on a sensitive human population;
- Revised background document and summary statement for publication in the second addendum to Third Edition;
- Addition to Policies and Procedures Manual concerning how to derive an allocation factor (non-default) from the TDI using exposure data.
Progress to date
The Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality Working Group meeting (Geneva, 2004) agreed that the background document and summary statement should be revised. Once revised, they will be sent for peer review and simultaneously posted on the Internet for public domain comment. The Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality Working Group meeting (Geneva, 2005) agreed that the revised background document should be published in the first addendum. The Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality Working Group meeting (Geneva, 2006) agreed to reopen this agenda item in light of comments received on the published document. The revised background document will be peer and public domain reviewed once complete.
The draft document is now available for review. Comments are welcome following the format on the comment sheet, below.
Comments on the draft background document above should be sent before 30 May 2007 to gdwqnickel@who.int
OTHER PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST
Publications in preparation:
- Managing surface waters for health
- Chemical safety of drinking-water: Assessing priorities for risk management