Chronic Beryllium Disease and Sensitization at a Beryllium Processing Facility

Abstract

We conducted a medical screening for beryllium disease of 577 former workers from a beryllium processing facility. The screening included a medical and work history questionnaire, a chest radiograph, and blood lymphocyte proliferation testing for beryllium. A task exposure and a job exposure matrix were constructed to examine the association between exposure to beryllium and the development of beryllium disease. More than 90% of the cohort completed the questionnaire, and 74% completed the blood and radiograph component of the screening. Forty-four (7.6%) individuals had definite or probable chronic beryllium disease (CBD), and another 40 (7.0%) were sensitized to beryllium. The prevalence of CBD and sensitization in our cohort was greater than the prevalence reported in studies of other beryllium-exposed cohorts. Various exposure measures evaluated included duration; first decade worked; last decade worked; cumulative, mean, and highest job; and highest task exposure to beryllium (to both soluble and nonsoluble forms). Soluble cumulative and mean exposure levels were lower in individuals with CBD. Sensitized individuals had shorter duration of exposure, began work later, last worked longer ago, and had lower cumulative and peak exposures and lower nonsoluble cumulative and mean exposures. A possible explanation for the exposure–response findings of our study may be an interaction between genetic predisposition and a decreased permanence of soluble beryllium in the body. Both CBD and sensitization occurred in former workers whose mean daily working lifetime average exposures were lower than the current allowable Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace air level of 2 μg/m3 and the Department of Energy guideline of 0.2 μg/m3.

Risk of beryllium sensitization in a low‐exposed former nuclear weapons cohort from the cold war era

“…Inhalational exposure to beryllium dust or fume has been linked to granulomatous, fibrotic interstitial lung disease [Hardy and Tabershaw, 1946;Freiman and Hardy, 1970;Newman et al, 1989], and lung cancer [Sanderson et al, 2001a]. Lung granulomas and fibrosis are thought to be preceded by sensitization to beryllium, an asymptomatic CD4þ T-memory cell mediated immune response affecting up to 15% of the exposed workforce [Saltini et al, 1989;Maier, 2002;Rosenman et al, 2005].…”

Microstructural evidence of beryllium in commercial dental Ni-Cr alloys

“…The main contamination risk is due to its vapor, which is a problem for the prosthetic technicians, especially in workplaces without adequate ventilation and exhausting system 1 . In addition, inhalation of dust or fumes containing beryllium can also cause chronic beryllium disease (CBD), generating progressive shortness of breath, and may be, in some cases, fatal 7,8 . The purpose of this work was to investigate the microstructural characteristics of commercial Ni-Cr base dental alloys, which could indicate the presence of Be.…”

Sensitization and chronic beryllium disease at a primary manufacturing facility, part 3: exposure–response among short-term workers

“…Exposure-response relations for beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) using various methods for estimating airborne exposure have been inconsistent (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Processes or jobs worked have been used as surrogates for quantitative exposures in many studies.…”