Nickel is a hard, ferromagnetic metal with corrosion resistance and high gloss finish properties. Back in 2017, the World Health Organization categorized nickel compounds as Group 1 carcinogens, including elemental nickel and nickel alloys. Wastewater containing high concentrations of heavy metal nickel must undergo treatment before discharge, and discharge is only permitted once testing indicators meet compliance standards. This article, compiled with a Manufacturer of Online Water Quality Monitors, introduces common treatment solutions for nickel-laden wastewater.

Nickel-bearing heavy metal wastewater is mostly generated from electroplating industrial processes. Its primary sources include pickling and rinsing of metal work-pieces during per-treatment, as well as rinsing wastewater discharged after work-pieces leave acidic electroplating tanks. Below are three mainstream treatment approaches for nickel in electroplating wastewater:

Chemical Treatment Methods

This category covers multiple sub-processes: innovative ferrite process, high-efficiency heavy metal chelating precipitation, and conventional chemical precipitation (hydroxide precipitation and sulfide precipitation).

Photochemical Treatment Methods

These emerging processes support cleaner production for electroplating factories. The core technologies include ion exchange, membrane separation and adsorption, all capable of removing nickel from wastewater.

Biological Treatment Methods

Nickel ions can be removed via biosorption. A key limitation of this method lies in the relatively low nickel adsorption capacity of applicable microbial strains.

Enterprises can select suitable treatment processes based on their actual production conditions and site requirements.

To verify whether nickel levels in treated wastewater meet discharge standards, the T8000-Ni Online Nickel Analyzer manufactured by Modi can be adopted. Real-time monitoring data from this device can reflect the nickel concentration in water accurately.