Chronic beryllium disease in a precious metal refinery. Clinical epidemiologic and immunologic evidence for continuing risk from exposure to low level beryllium fume.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Balmes JR ; Cherniack, Martin G. ; Cruz R ; Cullen MR ; Daniele RP ; Kern JA ; Kominsky, John R. ; McManus, Kevin P. ; Naegel GP ; Palmer L ; Rankin JA ; Rossman MD
• Description:
  The occurrence of chronic beryllium (7440417) disease in a precious metal refinery was investigated. Five workers at a facility that refined and reclaimed gold and silver from industrial scrap (SIC- 3341) developed granulomatous lung disease between 1972 and 1985. The patients were males, four Hispanics and one black, aged 31 to 41 years. The original diagnosis was sarcoidosis. Immunologic studies were performed on the four Hispanic patients utilizing in-vitro proliferative responses of lymphocytes obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage. Hypersensitivity to beryllium salts was found. The entire work force at the facility was surveyed by questionnaire and by review of prior X-rays and spirometry results for evidence of granulomatous lung disease. No current workers had radiographic or spirometric evidence suggestive of chronic beryllium disease. Industrial hygiene air monitoring of the facility showed beryllium concentrations of 0.22 to 42.3 micrograms per cubic meter (microg/m3), mean 1.2microg/m3. Ten percent of the samples were in excess of the current permissible exposure limit of 2.0microg/m3. Moderate concentrations of other metal contaminants, such as arsenic (7440382), lead (7439921), and cadmium (7440439), were also found. The authors conclude that chronic beryllium disease mimicking sarcoidosis still occurs from modern industrial exposures. A significant risk for chronic beryllium disease exists among approximately 30000 to 800000 American workers exposed to beryllium, especially those, workers, who smelt, burn, refine, or weld the metal or its alloys, possibly even if exposure concentrations are below presently adopted standards. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Beryllium Case Reports Diagnosis Metals Metal Workers Occupational Diseases Occupational Health Poisoning Risk Assessment Safety
• Keywords:
  Beryllium-disease Case-studies Clinical-diagnosis Metal-fumes Metal-industry-workers Metallic-poisoning Metallurgical-processes NIOSH-Author Occupational-diseases Risk-analysis
• ISSN:
  0003-0805
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  201-208
• Volume:
  135
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00166353
• Citation:
  Am Rev Respir Dis 1987 Jan; 135(1):201-208
• CAS Registry Number:
  Arsenic (CAS RN 7440-38-2) ; Beryllium (CAS RN 7440-41-7) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1987
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3341 - Secondary nonferrous metals - (SIC)
• Source Full Name:
  American Review of Respiratory Disease
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a32def3f1e5ccec0fbead698eb741b8fd8345020c98d5d12426fed3e0efcf92401c2ad440ed21e060a842fb3058c43ed261c5e7fcc5a6e09f0885e66a33d5696
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185099/cdc_185099_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.13 MB ]