Determination of Nickel in Welding Fume by Gravimetric Method Using Dimethylglyoxime

Welding fume emitted while welding stainless chromium-nickel steels contains mainly nickel oxides (NiO, NiO2 and Ni2O3). Welding in the inert gas shielding as well as plasma and laser cutting of parent materials of a high content of nickel ranks among the welding processes characterised by the highest concentrations of nickel oxides in welding fume. The predicted content of this element in the mass % range of 0.7 to 6% has been adopted as a criterion for the selection of the analytical method of the determining nickel content in the welding fume. Determination of nickel is based on dissolution of the sample in a mixture of acids, separation of nickel in the form of solid dimethylglyoxime nickel (II) and gravimetric determination. The adopted method of nickel determination in the welding fume proved to be an effective and inexpensive solution.