September 2002 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Beryllium |
(Berilio) |
|
|
|
This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about beryllium. For more information,
you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous
substances and their health effects. This information is important
because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure
to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration,
how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether
other chemicals are present.
|
|
HIGHLIGHTS: People working
or living near beryllium industries have the greatest
potential for exposure to beryllium. Lung damage has been
observed in people exposed to high levels of beryllium
in the air. About 1-15% of all people occupationally-exposed
to beryllium in air become sensitive to beryllium and
may develop chronic beryllium disease (CBD), an irreversible
and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs. CBD may be
completely asymptomatic or begin with coughing, chest
pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and/or fatigue. Beryllium
has been found in at least 535 of the 1,613 National Priorities
List sites identified by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). |
|
|
What
is beryllium? |
Beryllium is a hard, grayish metal naturally
found in mineral rocks, coal, soil, and volcanic dust. Beryllium
compounds are commercially mined, and the beryllium is purified
for use in nuclear weapons and reactors, aircraft and space
vehicle structures, instruments, x-ray machines, and mirrors.
Beryllium ores are used to make speciality ceramics for electrical
and high-technology applications. Beryllium alloys are used
in automobiles, computers, sports equipment (golf clubs and
bicycle frames), and dental bridges.
|
back to top |
|
What
happens to beryllium when it enters the environment? |
- Beryllium dust enters the air from burning coal and oil.
This beryllium dust will eventually settle over the land
and water.
- It enters water from erosion of rocks and soil, and from
industrial waste. Some beryllium compounds will dissolve
in water, but most stick to particles and settle to the
bottom.
- Most beryllium in soil does not dissolve in water and
remains bound to soil.
- Beryllium does not accumulate in the food chain.
|
back to top |
|
How
might I be exposed to beryllium? |
- The general population is exposed to normally low levels
of beryllium in air, food, and water.
- People working in industries where beryllium is mined,
processed, machined, or converted into metal, alloys, and
other chemicals may be exposed to high levels of beryllium.
People living near these industries may also be exposed
to higher than normal levels of beryllium in air.
- People living near uncontrolled hazardous waste sites
may be exposed to higher than normal levels of beryllium.
|
back to top |
|
How
can beryllium affect my health? |
Beryllium can be harmful if you breathe
it. The effects depend on how much you are exposed to and
for how long. If beryllium air levels are high enough (greater
than 1000 g/m³), an acute condition can result. This
condition resembles pneumonia and is called acute beryllium
disease Occupational and community air standards are effective
in preventing most acute lung damage.
Some people (1-15%) become sensitive
to beryllium. These individuals may develop an inflammatory
reaction in the respiratory system. This condition is called
chronic beryllium disease (CBD), and can occur many years
after exposure to higher than normal levels of beryllium (greater
than 0.5 g/m³). This disease can make you feel weak and
tired, and can cause difficulty in breathing. It can also
result in anorexia, weight loss, and may also lead to right
side heart enlargement and heart disease in advanced cases.
Some people who are sensitized to beryllium may not have any
symptoms. The general population is unlikely to develop acute
or chronic beryllium disease because ambient air levels of
beryllium are normally very low (0.00003-0.0002 µg/m³).
Swallowing beryllium has not been reported
to cause effects in humans because very little beryllium is
absorbed from the stomach and intestines. Ulcers have been
seen in dogs ingesting beryllium in the diet. Beryllium contact
with skin that has been scraped or cut may cause rashes or
ulcers.
|
back to top |
|
How
likely is beryllium to cause cancer? |
Long term exposure to beryllium can increase
the risk of developing lung cancer in people.
The Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC) have determined that beryllium is a human carcinogen.
The EPA has determined that beryllium is a probable human
carcinogen. EPA has estimated that lifetime exposure to 0.04
µg/m³ beryllium can result in a one in a thousand
chance of developing cancer.
|
back to top |
|
How
can beryllium affect children? |
There are no studies on the health effects
of children exposed to beryllium. It is likely that the health
effects seen in children exposed to beryllium will be similar
to the effects seen in adults. We do not know whether children
differ from adults in their susceptibility to beryllium.
We do not know if exposure to beryllium
will result in birth defects or other developmental effects
in people. The studies on developmental effects in animals
are not conclusive.
|
back to top |
|
How
can families reduce the risk of exposure to beryllium? |
- Most families will not be exposed to high levels of beryllium.
- Children should avoid playing in soils near uncontrolled
hazardous waste sites where beryllium may have been discarded.
|
back to top |
|
Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to beryllium? |
Beryllium can be measured in the urine
and blood. The amount of beryllium in blood or urine may not
indicate how much or how recently you were exposed. Beryllium
levels can also be measured in lung and skin samples. These
tests are not usually available at your doctor's office, but
your doctor can send the samples to a laboratory that can
perform the tests.
Another blood test, the blood beryllium
lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT), identifies beryllium
sensitization and has predictive value for CBD.
|
back to top |
|
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA restricts the amount of beryllium
that industries may release into the air to 0.01 µg/m³,
averaged over a 30-day period.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) sets a limit of 2 µg/m³ of workroom air for
an 8-hour work shift.
|
back to top |
|
References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2002. Toxicological
Profile for beryllium. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
|
back to top |
|
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:
|
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
|
back to top |
|