* Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) occurs when people inhale beryllium dust or fume and can take anywhere from a few months to 30 years to develop. CBD is caused by an immune system reaction to beryllium metal, with symptoms such as persistent coughing, difficulty breathing upon physical exertion, fatigue, chest and joint pain, weight loss, and fevers.

* Middleton, D.C. "Chronic beryllium disease: uncommon disease, less common diagnosis." Environmental Health Perspectives 106.12(1998). Discusses methods to diagnose chronic beryllium disease (CBD).

* Newman, L.S., et al. "The Natural History of Beryllium Sensitization and Chronic Beryllium Disease." Environmental Health Perspectives 104.S5(1996). Reviews what was known about the natural history of clinical chronic beryllium disease (CBD) in the era that preceded the use of immunologic markers, review data from recent studies of patients with beryllium sensitization and early disease, and summarize the methodology being used in ongoing longitudinal studies designed to address some of the questions listed above.

Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD)

* Acute beryllium disease (ABD) rarely occurs in modern industry due to improved industrial protective measures designed to reduce exposure levels. ABD is caused by breathing in relatively high concentrations of beryllium in dust and metal fumes (>100 µg/m3). High level exposures may lead to death or respiratory illness similar to pneumonia or bronchitis. Symptoms associated with ABD include difficulty breathing, cough, and chest pain. These symptoms occur much more rapidly than those associated with chronic beryllium disease (CBD).

* Lang, L. "Beryllium: A Chronic Problem." Environmental Health Perspectives 102.6-7(1994). Reviews the causes of acute beryllium disease (ABD).

Lung Cancer

* Beryllium and beryllium compounds are known to be human carcinogens according to the most recent Report on Carcinogens (RoC). US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Public Health Services, National Toxicology Program (NTP). Provides a table of contents with links to sections of the report.

o Beryllium and Beryllium Compounds. 147 KB PDF, 3 pages. Explains the carcinogenicity, properties, use, production, exposure, and regulations regarding beryllium.

Air, wipe, and bulk sampling techniques are used to measure occupational exposures to beryllium. The following references provide exposure limits and analytical methods used to evaluate beryllium hazards in the workplace.

* Beryllium

* Beryllium compounds (as Be). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH), (1996, August). Contains acute toxicity data, NIOSH recommendations, and references.

OSHA Methods

* Sampling and Analytical Methods. Provides links to information developed by OSHA including validated methods for use by the Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC) Laboratory. These standard methods have been adopted by many laboratories for the analysis of chemical compounds.

o Metal and Metalloid Particulates in Workplace Atmospheres (ICP). Method No. ID-125G, (1991, April). Describes the collection and subsequent analysis of airborne metal and metalloid particulate by Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICAP-AES). Beryllium is one of several metals that can be analyzed by this method.