Identification of Unreported Sources of Objects Containing High Release Nickel

Globally, nickel is the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Nickel is ubiquitous, and published literature continues to index items most frequently associated with Ni-ACD. Unregulated nickel exposure in North America is evident by the unprecedented rates of sensitization seen in patch-tested cohorts, 18.5% in children (ages 0-18 years) and 28.1% in adults. ¹ Conservative estimates of ACD within the pediatric population suggest at least one million cases in the US yearly with roughly one-quarter of those cases due to nickel. ^2-3 The United States could potentially save $5.7 billion annually in health care costs, extrapolating current cost-saving data from Denmark post nickel regulation, by implementing similar regulation to that of the European Union (EU). ² To our knowledge, site surveys testing for items releasing nickel in public locations has yet to be performed.