Background Information
- Elemental beryllium - atomic number 4
- Discovered in 1798, commercial applications in
1930s
- Major use and work exposure started in 1940s atomic
weapons industry
- Lighter than aluminum, but more rigid, and more
elastic than steel
- Excellent electric and thermal conductivity and
non-magnetic
- Corrosion and wear resistant
- Used as an alloy in dental appliances, golf clubs,
wheel chairs, bicycles, electronic gadgets
- Nuclear reactor neutron reflectors, aerospace,
nuclear industries, nuclear weapons, satellites,
aircraft disc brakes
- U.S. largest produce of beryllium raw material
– about 6,700 metric tons (1991)
- Approximately 255 metric tons of pure beryllium
(2000)
Summary of health effects
Contact dermatitis and hypersensitivity to beryllium
is the most common toxic reaction. Workplace inhalation
of beryllium can be very serious. Today, the hypersensitivity
reaction is known as chronic beryllium disease (CBD)
or berylliosis can result from even low dose (two
orders of magnitude below current TLV) workplace exposure,
and has been reported in family members of beryllium
workers. This is a serious immunologically mediated
and progressive degenerative disease in which the
lungs become increasing fibrotic and dysfunctional.
Long-term exposure can result in lung cancer, and
beryllium is classified as a carcinogen by international
regulatory agencies.
Chronic beryllium disease (CBD)
- Chronic beryllium disease (CBD), a disabling and
often fatal lung disease for which there is no cure.
- 1-15% of people occupationally-exposed to beryllium
in air become sensitive to beryllium and may develop
chronic beryllium disease (CBD)
- CBD can occur many years after exposure to higher
than normal levels of beryllium (greater than 0.5
g/m³).
- Genetic test for susceptibility is possible
- Beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT)
can determine if a worker has become sensitive to
beryllium and may have chronic beryllium disease.
Summary of genetic susceptibility
Susceptibility to CBD can be determined in part by
a genetic test (HLA-DPB1). HLA-DPB1 variants with
Glu69 are susceptible to CBD, while those with Lys69
are less susceptible but still a small number will
develop CBD. Approximately 33% of potential workers
will test positive for an increased risk for CBD.
Exclusion of these workers from a workplace with beryllium
exposure would dramatically reduce the incidence of
CPD, but more than half of these workers would probably
not get CBD (PPV ~33%).
Exposure - Health Effects
- An estimated 30,000 workers in the United States
alone come into contact with beryllium daily, according
to the National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health with over a million ever exposed (NIOSH).”
- Occupation Primary exposure – dust and fumes
(also cigarette smoke)
- Dermal contact
- Take home exposure form clothing
- EPA estimates 5,500 pounds released into atmosphere
from mining
- EPA estimates 50,000 released into environment by
manufactures (per year) primarily into ground
- Causes lung and skin disease in 2% to 10% of exposed
workers
- Occupation exposure in mining, extraction and manufacturing
- Immune system reaction with beryllium – allergic-type
response
- Know to be human carcinogen – Lung Cancer
Regulation
- OSHA has set a limit of 2 µg beryllium/m³
of workroom air for an 8-hour work shift.
- NIOSH recommends a standard for occupational exposure
of 0.5 µg beryllium/m³ of workroom air
during an 8-hour shift to protect workers from the
increased cancer risk associated with beryllium exposure.
- EPA restricts the amount of beryllium released into
the air to 0.01 µg beryllium/m³ of air,
averaged over a 30-day period.
- The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a program
to reduce beryllium exposure in workers at DOE facilities.
- EPA has set a maximum allowable amount of 0.004
mg/L beryllium in drinking water.
REFERENCES
/ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
European, Asian, and International Agencies
North American Agencies
- U.S.
Department of Labor - Occupational Safety &
Health Administration (OSHA). Safety and Health Topics:
Toxic Metals: Beryllium. (accessed: 28 August 2004).
- Beryllium
and Related Compounds (pdf file) -The Tenth Report
on Carcinogens. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Public Health Service National Toxicology
Program (2002, December), 2.05 MB PDF, 8 pages. This
is a document that explains the carcinogenicity, properties,
use, production, exposure, and regulations regarding
beryllium. (accessed: 28 August 2004).
- ATSDR
Beryllium ToxFAQs (accessed: 28 August 2004).
- ATSDR
Beryllium – Toxicology Profile (accessed:
28 August 2004).
Non-Government Organizations
References
Middleton, Dannie C. Chronic Beryllium Disease: Uncommon
Disease, Less Common Diagnosis. Environmental Health
Perspectives Volume 106, Number 12, December 1998
Toxic Beryllium: New Solutions for a Chronic Problem.
Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 109, Number
2, February 2001
Newman, Lee S., Jenifer Lloyd, and Elaine Daniloff.
The Natural History of BerylliumSensitization and Chronic
Beryllium Disease Environmental Health Perspectives
104, Supplement 5, October 1996 Conference on Beryllium-related
Diseases
Holtzman. Neil A. Medical and Ethical Issues in Genetic
Screening--An Academic View Environmental Health Perspectives
104, Supplement 5, October 1996 Conference on Beryllium-related
Diseases
Weston A, Ensey J, Kreiss K, Keshava C, McCanlies E.
Racial differences in prevalence of a supratypic HLA-genetic
marker immaterial to pre-employment testing for susceptibility
to chronic beryllium disease. Am J Ind Med. 2002 Jun;41(6):457-65.
Excellent review of positive predictive value.
Bartell SM, Ponce RA, Takaro TK, Zerbe RO, Omenn GS,
and Faustman EM. Risk estimation and Value-of-Information
Analysis for three proposed genetic screening Programs
for Chronic beryllium disease prevention. Risk Analysis
20:87-99, 2000. Discusses options for implementing screening
analyzing costs and benefits.
|
