F. X. M. Zippe, Geschichte der Metalle (Wien: Wilhelm Braumüller, 1857). pp. 358-360.

J. L. Bray, Non-Ferrous Production Metallurgy, 2nd ed. (New York: John Wiley

C. H. Hurlbut, Jr., Dana's Manual of Mineralogy, 16th ed. (New York: John Wiley

W. N. Jones, Jr., Inorganic Chemistry (Philadelphia: Blakiston, 1949). pp. 607-609.

S. Glasstone and A. Sesonske, Nuclear Reactor Engineering (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1967). pp. 442-445.

For the latest data on beryllium, see Roskill. For toxicity information, see ATSDR.

Beryllium is a hard, grayish element that does not occur naturally. The element does occur as a chemical component of certain rocks, coal and oil, soil, and volcanic dust. Two kinds of mineral rocks, bertrandite and beryl, are mined commercially for the recovery of beryllium. Very pure gem-quality beryl is better known as either aquamarine (blue or blue-green) or emerald (green). Beryllium is also present in a variety of compounds. They do not have any particular smell. There are two types of beryllium compounds, those that dissolve in water and those that do not.

Most of the beryllium ore that is mined is converted into alloys (mixtures of metals). Most of these alloys are used in making electrical and electronic parts or as construction materials for machinery and molds for plastics. Pure beryllium metal has applications in nuclear weapons and reactors, aircraft and space vehicle structures and instruments, X-ray machines, and mirrors. Beryllium oxide is also made from beryllium ores and is used to make specialty ceramics for electrical and high-technology applications.

Fate

Beryllium enters the air, water, and soil as a result of natural and human activities. Emissions from burning coal and oil increase beryllium levels in air. Beryllium enters waterways from the wearing away of rocks and soil. Most of the man-made beryllium that enters waterways comes when industry dumps waste water and when beryllium dust in the air from industrial activities settles over water. Beryllium, as a chemical component, occurs naturally in soil; however, disposal of coal ash, incinerator ash, and industrial wastes may increase the concentration of beryllium in soil.

In air, beryllium compounds are present mostly as fine dust particles. The dust eventually settles over land and water. Rain and snow aid in the removal of beryllium from air. Sufficiently small beryllium particles may remain airborne for about 10 days.

Most of the beryllium in water settles in the material on the bottom. Beryllium compounds remain in ocean water for a few hundred years before settling to the bottom of the ocean. Fish do not accumulate beryllium from water into their bodies to any great extent. A major portion of beryllium in soil does not dissolve in water but remains bound to soil, so it is not very likely to move deeper into the ground and enter groundwater. In the environment, chemical reactions can change the water-soluble beryllium compounds into insoluble forms. In some cases, water-insoluble beryllium compounds can change to soluble forms. Exposure to water-soluble beryllium compounds in the environment, in general, will pose a greater threat to human health than water-insoluble forms.

Exposure Pathways

You can be exposed to low levels of beryllium by breathing air, eating food, or drinking water that contains beryllium. In the United States, the average concentration of beryllium in air is 0.03 nanograms (ng) (1 ng = 1 billionth of a gram) in a cubic meter (ng/m3) of air. In U.S. cities, the average air concentration is higher, and its value is 0.2 ng/m3 of air. Cities have higher levels of beryllium in the air because beryllium is released from burning coal and fuel oil. Beryllium was not found in 5% of 1,577 drinking water samples obtained throughout the United States. Of these samples, the average beryllium concentration was only 190 ng in a liter (L) of water. Beryllium, as a chemical component, is naturally found in some food. The concentration of beryllium in both raw carrots and field corn grown in the United States is less than 25 micrograms (ug) (1 ug = 1 millionth of a gram) in a kilogram (kg) of the fresh vegetables. The intake of beryllium for most people will be very small.

In certain workplaces you can be exposed to higher than normal levels of beryllium, mostly in the form of beryllium oxide and beryllium metal. Occupational exposure to beryllium occurs at places where the chemical is mined, processed, and converted into metal, alloys, and other chemicals. Workers engaged in machining metals containing beryllium, in recycling beryllium from scrap alloys, or in using beryllium products may also be exposed to higher levels of beryllium. An estimated 18,000 workers may be exposed to beryllium and beryllium oxide in the workplace.