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

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:7054088

Stemmer, K L

The pulmonary response of rats to tantalum and niobium beryllide and to a copper beryllium alloy. Beryllium metal was used as the positive control. The animals were given 2.5 or 0.5 mg as beryllium by intratracheal intubation. At 7, 30, and 90 days after exposure, the response was similar with each material. Inflammatory infiltrate by lymphocytes, macrophage accumulation, and beginning fibrosis of the terminal bronchioles were seen. Epithelial hyperplasia occurred at, or after, 90 days. Niobium beryllide produced a unique granulomatous lesion similar to that seen in human berylliosis. After 15 months, eight squamous cell carcinomas and one adenocarcinoma were found in rats exposed to beryllium metal. No neoplasms were initiated by the other materials. The findings were somewhat obscured by a high incidence of pneumonia. Solubility studies in saline and in serum were conducted with the same materials. (PSB)

• Research Organization: Cincinnati Univ. Medical Center, OH (USA). Inst. of Environmental Health
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76EV02836
• OSTI ID: 7054088
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/02836-2-Rev.1; ON: DE83000723
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALLOYS
ANIMALS
BERYLLIUM
BERYLLIUM ALLOYS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
CARCINOGENESIS
CARCINOMAS
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
MAMMALS
METALS
NEOPLASMS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PATHOGENESIS
PNEUMONIA
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RODENTS
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES