Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
21
Beryllium
MAREK JAKUBOWSKI AND CEZARY PALCZYNSKI
ABSTRACT
by skin penetration by insoluble beryllium salts were
also observed. These pathological changes are based
on delayed allergic hypersensitivity. Acute toxicity of
beryllium at concentrations usually >25
Beryllium is a strategic and critical material for
many industries. It is widely used despite its relatively
high cost, because for certain critical applications it
performs better than alternatives. The beryllium in-
dustry produces three primary forms of beryllium.
Copper beryllium alloy is the largest, followed by pure
beryllium metal and beryllium oxide ceramics.
As a result of the increasing industrial use of beryl-
lium, occupational exposure to the metal may be an
important issue. Beryllium exposure levels decreased
signifi cantly compared with the mid-1960s. At present,
the TWA concentrations are below the occupational
exposure limits of 2
g/m
3
is mani-
fested by skin, eye, nose, and throat irritation, followed
by upper and lower airway infl ammation, pulmonary
edema, and (>100
µ
g/m
3
) chemical pneumonitis.
Chronic beryllium disease (CBD, chronic pulmo-
nary granulomatosis, berylliosis) is the most com-
mon health problem caused by exposure to berylli-
um. Chronic beryllium disease is a T-cell-mediated
disorder. Beryllium, acting as a hapten, interacts with
the antigen-presenting cells in the lungs. The beryl-
lium blood lymphocyte proliferation test (BLPT) is
used as a medical surveillance tool for assessment
of persons at risk for clinical and subclinical chronic
beryllium disease developing. The LOAEL for be-
ryllium sensitization and CBD progression was sug-
gested as 0.55
µ
g/m
3
.
Exposures to beryllium are much more hazardous
by the inhalation route than by the ingestion route. Be-
ryllium and its compounds are poorly absorbed from
the gastrointestinal tract. In general, inhalation ex-
posure to beryllium compounds results in long-term
storage of appreciable amounts of beryllium in lung
tissue, particularly in pulmonary lymph nodes, and in
the skeleton, which is the ultimate site of beryllium
storage. Urinary beryllium concentrations are below
the detection limits of 0.03
µ
g Be/m
3
. However, recent reports
suggest that sensitization and CBD were associated
with beryllium air TWA levels exceeding 0.2
µ
g/m
3
.
These results suggest that to avoid sensitization
and CBD, the present occupational exposure limits
should be <0.2
µ
g/m
3
.
An excess in lung cancer was found in persons
occupationally exposed to beryllium and was higher
for individuals after recovery from acute beryllium
pneumonitis than those with CBD. IARC (1993) clas-
sified beryllium as a group 1 carcinogen (sufficient
evidence for carcinogenicity in humans). The US
EPA air unit risk amounts to 2.4 × 10
−3
per
µ
g/L.
Exposure to beryllium compounds has caused der-
matitis, acute pulmonary infl ammation, and chronic
beryllium disease (CBD). Exposure to soluble beryl-
lium salts may cause skin reactions such as edematous,
erythematous, and papulovesicular dermatitis. Those
changes usually disappear after cessation of exposure.
Granulomatous necrotic changes and ulcerations caused
µ
g/L-0.06
µ
g/m
3
. In
general, it seems that the lung cancer observations
µ
