Beryllium Laboratory Analysis--The Regulations May Drive the Science
- National Security Technologies, LLC, Mercury, NV (United States)
Beryllium has many industry-specific applications, such as medical X-ray windows for diagnostic equipment, nuclear reactors, aerospace applications, precision instrumentation, and other consumer products for which lightness and rigidity is essential. According to the National Toxicology Program, beryllium oxide (BeO) is one of the most significant beryllium compounds in production. Although beryllium and its compounds have a wide array of beneficial uses, due to its unique properties it is not an ideal metal to be used in all situations. Exposure to beryllium is linked to beryllium sensitization and Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD), which is incurable, debilitating, and potentially fatal. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies beryllium and beryllium compounds as “carcinogenic to humans” (Group I), and EPA classifies beryllium as a likely human carcinogen, the lung being the primary target organ. Laboratory analysis for beryllium samples has always presented a challenge to the analytical community. While most metals of interest to industrial hygienists have occupational exposure limits (OELs) in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), the beryllium OELs are in micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). Some regulatory agencies have recently published beryllium OELs so low that in some cases a laboratory limit of detection (LOD) in nanograms (ng) is required. For most substances, science drives the regulations, but for beryllium, regulations appear to be driving science to develop laboratory analytical methods that can adequately support the proposed OELs. (EPA has issued guidelines regarding ambient and community airborne beryllium exposure, but this article focuses on beryllium from an occupational exposure perspective.)
- Research Organization:
- Nevada Test Site (NTS), Mercury, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25946
- OSTI ID:
- 1391857
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/25946-3234; TRN: US1800096
- Journal Information:
- Synergist, Vol. 2017, Issue Aug; ISSN 0049-2752
- Publisher:
- American Industrial Hygiene AssociationCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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