Beryllium Specific Information

Please refer to the following Web resources for more information on the adverse effects of beryllium, the treatment of beryllium - associated diseases, and management of persons exposed to beryllium.

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (www.atsdr.cdc.gov)
  • For chemical, emergency situations
    • CDC Emergency Response: 770-488-7100 and request the ATSDR Duty Officer
  • For chemical, non-emergency situations
    • CDC-INFO (www.bt.cdc.gov/coca/800cdcinfo.asp)
    • 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY 888-232-6348 - 24 Hours/Day
    • E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

    Please Note: ATSDR cannot respond to questions about individual medical cases, provide second opinions or make specific recommendations regarding therapy. Those issues should be addressed directly with your health care provider.

  • ATSDR Minimal Risk Levels (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mrls/mrllist.asp#33tag )
  • ATSDR ToxFAQs™ - Beryllium: (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=184&tid=33)
  • ATSDR Toxicological profile for beryllium. (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/TP.asp?id=185&tid=33) Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2002, September.
  • ATSDR Toxic Substances and Health Brush Wellman Facility, Elmore, OH
• EPA Air Toxics - Beryllium: (www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/berylliu.html)
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cincinnati, Ohio. February, 2004.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH Safety and Health Topic – Beryllium. ( www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/beryllium/default.html)
• National Jewish Medical Center, 1-800-222-LUNG (1-800-222-5864) (www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/beryllium_medfact.html).
• OSHA Safety and Health Topic - Beryllium. (www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/index.html).
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Toxicological Review of Beryllium and Compounds (www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0012.htm) In support of summary information on IRIS. National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC. 1998.

Environmental Health Information

Please refer to the following Web resources for general information on environmental health.

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/)
  • Taking an Exposure History CSEM (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=17&po=0)
  • To view the complete library of CSEMs (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.html).
  • Exposure History Form (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=17&po=19)
  • ATSDR Division of Regional Operations.
    • Through the working relationships they have established with EPA, other federal and state agencies, individual citizens, and community groups, regional representatives are able to maintain current and historic knowledge of the sites and issues in their regions.
    • ATSDR's Regional Offices, along with the states and territories that they cover as well as contact information, can be found at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/DRO/dro_contact.html
  • ATSDR State Cooperative Agreement Program (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/states/staff.html)
    • The Cooperative Agreement Program provides essential support in communities nationwide to fulfill the mission of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The program funds 30 states and one tribal government to develop and strengthen their abilities to evaluate and respond to environmental public health issues.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)(www.cdc.gov)
  • The CDC works to protect public health and the safety of people, by providing information to enhance health decisions, and promotes health through partnerships with state health departments and other organizations.
  • The CDC focuses national attention on developing and applying disease prevention and control (especially infectious diseases), environmental health, occupational safety and health, health promotion, prevention and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) (www.cdc.gov/nceh/)
    • NCEH works to prevent illness, disability, and death from interactions between people and the environment. It is especially committed to safeguarding the health of populations that are particularly vulnerable to certain environmental hazards - children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
    • NCEH seeks to achieve its mission through science, service, and leadership.
  • National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (www.cdc.gov/niosh/)
    • NIOSH is part of CDC and was established to help assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by providing research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.
• National Institute of Health (NIH) (www.nih.gov)
  • A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) (www.acoem.org/
  • ACOEM is the nation's largest medical society dedicated to promoting the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, research, and education.
  • Its members are a dynamic group of physicians encompassing specialists in a variety of medical practices is united via the College to develop positions and policies on vital issues relevant to the practice of preventive medicine both within and outside of the workplace.
• American College of Medical Toxicologists (ACMT) (www.acmt.net/
  • ACMT is a professional, nonprofit association of physicians with recognized expertise in medical toxicology.
  • The College is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of medical toxicology through a variety of activities.
• American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) www.acpm.org/
  • ACPM is the national professional society for physicians committed to disease prevention and health promotion.
  • ACPM's 2,000 members are engaged in preventive medicine practice, teaching and research.
• Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) www.aoec.org/
  • AOEC is a network of more than 60 clinics and more than 250 individuals committed to improving the practice of occupational and environmental medicine through information sharing and collaborative research.
• Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) www.pehsu.net/
  • Each PEHSU is based at an academic center and is a collaboration between the pediatric clinic and the (AOEC) occupational and environmental clinic at each site.
  • The PEHSU's have been developed to provide education and consultation for health professionals, public health professionals and others about the topic of children's environmental health.
  • The PEHSU staff is available for consultation about potential pediatric environmental health concerns affecting both the child and the family. Health care professionals may contact their regional PEHSU site for clinical advice.
• Poison Control Center
  • The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) may be contacted for questions about poisons and poisonings. The web site provides information about poison centers and poison prevention. AAPCC does not provide information about treatment or diagnosis of poisoning or research information for student papers.
  • American Association of Poison Control Centers (1-800-222-1222 or www.aapcc.org/.

Suggested Reading

Glazer CS, Newman LS. 2003. Chronic beryllium disease: don't miss the diagnosis. J Respir Dis 24(8):357–63.

Maier L, www.specialtylabs.com Newman LS. 1998. Beryllium disease. In: Rom WN (ed.), Environmental and Occupational Medicine, 3rd Edition. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company. pp. 1021–35.

Newman LS, Lloyd J, Daniloff E. 1996. The natural history of beryllium sensitization and chronic beryllium disease. Environ Health Perspect 104(Suppl 5):937–43.

Rossman MD. 2001. Chronic beryllium disease: a hypersensitivity disorder. Appl Occup Environ Hyg 16(5): 615–8.

Sawyer RT, Maier LA, Kittle LA, Newman LS. 2002. Chronic beryllium disease: a model interaction between innate and acquired immunity. Int Immunopharmacol 2(2-3): 249–61.

Stange AW, Furman FJ, Hilmas DE. 2004. The Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test: Relevant Issues in Beryllium Health Surveillance. Am J Ind Med 46: 453–62.

Laboratories That Run the Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test

(Note: Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

Other CSEMs

Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Beryllium Toxicity is one monograph in a series. For other modules in this series, please go to www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.html