NFPA Label Key
ToxFAQs
CAS# 7440-41-7
April 1993
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NFPA Label Key |
| SUMMARY: Exposure to beryllium happens mostly in the workplace, near some hazardous waste sites, and from breathing tobacco smoke. Lung damage has been observed in some people who have breathed contaminated air. Some people become highly sensitive to beryllium exposure. Beryllium has been found in at least 349 of 1,300 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency. |
What is beryllium?
(Pronounced ber-il' le-um)
Pure beryllium is a hard, grayish metal. In nature, beryllium can be found in compounds in mineral rocks, coal, soil, and volcanic dust. Beryllium compounds are commercially mined, and the beryllium purified for use in electrical parts, machine parts, ceramics, aircraft parts, nuclear weapons, and mirrors.
Beryllium compounds have no particular smell.
What happens to beryllium when it enters the environment?
Beryllium can be harmful if you breathe it. The effects depend on how much you are exposed to and for how long.
High levels of beryllium in air cause lung damage and a disease that resembles pneumonia. If you stop breathing beryllium dust, the lung damage may heal.
Some people become sensitive to beryllium. This is called a hypersensitivity or allergy. These individuals develop an inflammatory reaction to low levels of beryllium. This condition is called chronic beryllium disease, and can occur long after exposure to small amounts of beryllium. This disease can make you feel weak and tired, and can cause difficulty in breathing.
Both the short-term, pneumonia-like disease and the chronic beryllium disease can cause death.
Swallowing beryllium has not been reported to cause effects in humans because very little beryllium can move from the stomach and intestines into the bloodstream.
Beryllium contact with scraped or cut skin can cause rashes or ulcers.
How likely is beryllium to cause cancer?
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that beryllium and certain beryllium compounds may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens. This determination is based on animal studies and studies in workers. None of the studies provide conclusive evidence, but when taken as a whole, they indicate that long-term exposure to beryllium in the air results in an increase in lung cancer.
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to beryllium?
Tests can measure beryllium in the urine and blood. The amount of beryllium in blood or urine may not indicate how much or how recently you were exposed. Small amounts of human lung and skin can also be removed from the body and examined for beryllium. These tests can be done in a doctor's office or in a hospital.
One test uses blood cells washed out of the lung. If these cells start growing in the presence of beryllium, you are probably sensitive to beryllium and may have chronic beryllium disease.
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricts the amount of beryllium that industries may emit into the environment to 10 grams (g) in a 24-hour period, or to an amount that would result in atmospheric levels of 0.01 micrograms of beryllium per cubic meter of air (0.01 µg/m³), averaged over a 30-day period.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends a standard for occupational exposure of 0.5 µg/m³ of beryllium in workroom air during an 8-hour shift to protect workers from potential cancer.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets a limit of 2 µg/m³ of beryllium in workroom air for an 8-hour work shift.
Glossary
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 1993. Toxicological profile for beryllium Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 1993. Case studies in environmental medicine: Beryllium toxicity. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Where can I get more information?
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize, evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances. You can also contact your community or state health or environmental quality department if you have any more questions or concerns. For more information, contact:
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services