Contact sensitivity to nickel in white gold

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Dermatology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• White gold alloys commonly contain nickel (2-15%) which can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
• Nickel release from jewelry is a significant concern for nickel-sensitive individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify nickel release from white gold discs.
• To evaluate the efficacy of rhodium plating in reducing nickel release.
• To correlate nickel release with patch test reactions in nickel-sensitive women.

Main Methods:

• White gold discs with varying nickel content were stored in synthetic sweat for one week.
• Nickel release was measured using analytical techniques.
• Rhodium-plated discs were tested for comparison.
• Patch testing was performed on 18 nickel-sensitive women using the white gold discs.

Main Results:

• Nickel content in white gold discs ranged from 2-15%.
• Nickel release varied from 0.09-0.82 micrograms.
• Rhodium plating reduced nickel release to 0.04-0.54 micrograms.
• All 18 nickel-sensitive women exhibited positive patch test reactions to the white gold discs.
• Dimethylglyoxime tests for nickel were negative for all white gold discs.

Conclusions:

• White gold jewelry can release nickel, even when initial tests are negative.
• Rhodium plating is effective in minimizing nickel release from white gold.
• Nickel release from white gold is a clinically relevant issue for sensitized individuals.