Investigation on the pulmonary effects of intermetallic beryllium compounds. Final report, January 1, 1976-December 31, 1978

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5875805· OSTI ID:5875805

Stemmer, K. L.

The pulmonary response to the exposure to tantalum and niobium beryllide, and a copper beryllium alloy was investigated. The findings were compared to beryllium metal as positive control. 2.5 or 0.5 mg as beryllium were given to rats by intratracheal intubation. At 30, 60, and 90 days after exposure the response was similar with each material. There was inflammatory infiltrate by lymphocytes, macrophage accumulation, and beginning fibrosis of the terminal bronchioles. Epithelial hyperplasia occurred at, or after, 90 days. Niobium beryllide had a unique granulomatous lesion which was similar to human berylliosis. After 15 months, 8 squamous cell carcinomas and 1 adenocarcinoma were found in rats exposed to beryllium metal. No neoplasms were seen with the other materials. Solubility studies in saline and serum were conducted with the same materials. Niobium beryllide had a significantly lower solubility, namely, 0.04 in saline and 0.06 micrograms per milliliter in serum. The copper alloy was even lower at 0.02 in saline and 0.01 micrograms per milliliter in serum.

• Research Organization: Cincinnati Univ. Medical Center, OH (USA). Inst. of Environmental Health
• DOE Contract Number: AS02-76EV02836
• OSTI ID: 5875805
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/02836-1; ON: DE82002167
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALLOYS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BERYLLIOSIS
BERYLLIUM
BERYLLIUM ALLOYS
BERYLLIUM BASE ALLOYS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD SERUM
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARCINOGENESIS
CARCINOMAS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
COPPER ALLOYS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
FIBROSIS
INFLAMMATION
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
INTRATRACHEAL ADMINISTRATION
LEUKOCYTES
LUNGS
LYMPHOCYTES
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
METALS
NEOPLASMS
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PHAGOCYTES
PNEUMOCONIOSES
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RODENTS
SOLUBILITY
SOMATIC CELLS
SYMPTOMS
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES