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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

This Public Health Statement is the summary 

chapter from the Toxicological Profile for 

Beryllium. It is one in a series of Public Health 

Statements about hazardous substances and their 

health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQsTM is 

also available. This information is important 

because this substance may harm you. The effects 

of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on 

the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, 

personal traits and habits, and whether other 

chemicals are present. For more information, call 

the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. 

This public health statement tells you about 

beryllium and the effects of exposure. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in 

the nation. These sites make up the National 

Priorities List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for 

long-term federal cleanup activities. Beryllium has 

been found in at least 535 of the 1,613 current or 

former NPL sites. However, the total number of 

NPL sites evaluated for this substance is not known. 

As more sites are evaluated, the sites at which 

beryllium is found may increase. This information 

is important because exposure to this substance may 

harm you and because these sites may be sources of 

exposure. 

When a substance is released from a large area, 

such as an industrial plant, or from a container, such 

as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. This 

release does not always lead to exposure. You are 

exposed to a substance only when you come in 

contact with it. You may be exposed by breathing, 

eating, or drinking the substance, or by skin contact. 

If you are exposed to beryllium, many factors 

determine whether you'll be harmed. These factors 

include the dose (how much), the duration (how 

long), and how you come in contact with it. You 

must also consider the other chemicals you're 

exposed to and your age, sex, diet, family traits, 

lifestyle, and state of health. 

1.1 WHAT IS BERYLLIUM? 

Beryllium is an element that occurs naturally. It is 

present in a variety of materials, such as 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 the lightest metal. A key distinction 

among beryllium compounds is that some are 

soluble in water, but many are 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. Beryllium alloys are also used in 

automobiles, computers, sports equipment (such as 

golf clubs and bicycle frames), and dental bridges. 

Pure beryllium metal is used in nuclear weapons 

and reactors, aircraft and space vehicle structures, 

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. 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO BERYLLIUM 

WHEN IT ENTERS THE 

ENVIRONMENT? 

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 the 

air. In air, beryllium compounds are present mostly 

as fine dust particles. The dust eventually settles 

over land and water. Rain and snow aid in 

removing beryllium from air. Extremely small 

beryllium particles may remain in the air for about 

10 days. Beryllium enters waterways from the 

wearing away of rocks and soil. Most beryllium 

products of human origin that enter waterways 

come from industry discharges of waste water and 

from beryllium dust in the air from industrial 

activities settling over water. Most of the beryllium 

in water settles in the material on the bottom with 

sediment. Insoluble beryllium compounds remain 

in ocean water for a few hundred years before 

settling to the bottom of the ocean. Beryllium, as a 

chemical component, occurs naturally in soil; 

however, disposal of coal ash, incinerator ash, and 

industrial wastes may increase the amount of 

beryllium in soil. A major portion of beryllium in 

soil does not dissolve in water and remains bound to 

soil, so it is not 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 exposure to water-insoluble forms. 

The amount of beryllium that has been measured in 

the air in different parts of the United States by EPA 

ranges from not detected to 2 millionths of a gram 

per cubic meter (g/m3). Very small dust particles of 

beryllium in the air fall out of the air onto surface 

water, plant surfaces, and soil either by themselves 

or when rain or snow falls. These beryllium 

particles eventually end up back in the soil or in the 

bottoms of lakes, rivers, and ponds, where they stay 

and mix with beryllium that is already there. 

Beryllium in water comes from different sources. 

Most of it comes from dissolving beryllium out of 

rocks and soil that water runs over and through. 

Only a very small part is from the settling of 

beryllium dust out of the air. Some beryllium is 

suspended in muddy-like (cloudy) water. EPA has 

found that the levels of beryllium in drinking water 

in different parts of the United States are extremely 

low in most cases, and that water containing 

beryllium at these commonly observed levels is safe 

to drink. Fish do not accumulate beryllium from 

water into their bodies to any great extent. Some 

fruits and vegetables such as garden peas, kidney 

beans, and pears may have above average levels of 

beryllium. Most of the beryllium that gets into 

livestock is eliminated quickly in urine and feces. 

Beryllium is found in soil in amounts that vary over 

a wide range, but the typical concentration is 3 

thousandths of a gram/kilogram (g/kg) of soil. 

Additional beryllium can be added by industrial 

activities. Soluble beryllium compounds can 

combine with other substances in the environment 

to form other beryllium compounds. Beryllium 

compounds may stay in the soil for thousands of 

years without moving downward into groundwater. 

In addition to the beryllium found naturally in 

minerals, beryllium metal and compounds that are 

left after humans mine and process the minerals can 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

be released back into the environment as landfill 

waste. 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO 

BERYLLIUM? 

You can be exposed to normal 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 in a cubic meter (m3) of air. Cities have 

higher levels of beryllium in the air because 

beryllium is released from burning coal and fuel oil. 

The amount of beryllium that has been measured in 

drinking water in different parts of the United States 

by EPA is generally less than 2 trillionths of a gram 

for every liter of water. Beryllium was found in 

only 5% of 1,577 drinking water samples obtained 

throughout the United States. Of these positive 

samples, the average beryllium concentration was 

only 190 ng in a liter (L) of water. Beryllium, as a 

chemical component, is found naturally in some 

food. The concentration of beryllium in both raw 

carrots and field corn grown in the United States is 

less than 25 micrograms (μg) (1 μg=1 millionth of a 

gram) in a kilogram (kg) of the fresh vegetables. 

Thus, in comparison with other harmful elements, 

such as lead and chromium, to which we are (by 

necessity) exposed on a daily basis, beryllium 

exposure is not significant. 

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, or 

converted into metal, alloys, and other chemicals. 

Workers engaged in machining metals containing 

beryllium, recycling beryllium from scrap alloys, or 

using beryllium products may also be exposed to 

higher levels of beryllium. The number of workers 

exposed to beryllium or beryllium compounds has 

been estimated to be 21,000. 

As a member of the general public, you may be 

exposed to higher-than-normal levels of beryllium if 

you live near an industry that processes or uses 

beryllium. People who live near hazardous landfill 

sites that contain high concentrations of beryllium 

may also be exposed to higher-than-normal levels 

of beryllium. Beryllium, as a chemical component, 

occurs naturally in tobacco and may be inhaled 

from cigarette smoke. People who smoke may 

breathe higher-than-normal levels of beryllium than 

people who do not smoke. 

Beryllium metal and metal alloys may be found in 

consumer products such as electronic devices (e.g., 

televisions, calculators, and personal computers) 

and special nonsparking tools. Direct contact with 

beryllium metal and metal alloys is not likely, since 

these materials are typically enclosed within a 

protected case that prevents exposure. No other 

consumer products or products used in crafts, 

hobbies, or cottage industries contain significant 

amounts of beryllium. It is therefore unlikely that 

beryllium present in consumer products poses any 

hazard. 

1.4 HOW CAN BERYLLIUM ENTER AND 

LEAVE MY BODY? 

Beryllium can enter your body if you breathe air, 

eat food, or drink water containing it. Beryllium 

will not enter your body from skin contact with the 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

metal unless the skin is scraped or cut and beryllium 

particles become imbedded in the wound. Only a 

small amount of beryllium may enter your body if 

your skin comes into contact with a beryllium salt 

dissolved in water. When you breathe air 

containing beryllium, beryllium particles can be 

deposited in the lungs. The beryllium that you 

breathe in slowly dissolves in the lungs and moves 

slowly into the bloodstream. Some of the beryllium 

deposited in the lungs can be moved to the mouth 

and then swallowed; the rest can remain in your 

lungs for a long time. If you eat food or drink water 

that contains beryllium, less than 1% passes from 

your stomach and intestines into the bloodstream. 

Therefore, most of the beryllium that you swallow 

leaves your body through the feces without entering 

the bloodstream. The small amount of beryllium 

that moves from the lungs, stomach, and intestines 

into the bloodstream is carried by the blood to the 

kidneys. Beryllium leaves the kidneys by the urine. 

Some beryllium can also be carried by the blood to 

the liver and bones where it may remain for long 

periods. If you swallow beryllium, beryllium leaves 

the body in a few days. However, if you inhale 

beryllium, it may take months to years before your 

body rids itself of beryllium. This is because it 

takes a long time before all the beryllium in the 

lungs enters the bloodstream. 

1.5 HOW CAN BERYLLIUM AFFECT MY 

HEALTH? 

To protect the public from the harmful effects of 

toxic chemicals and to find ways to treat people 

who have been harmed, scientists use many tests. 

One way to see if a chemical will hurt people is to 

learn how the chemical is absorbed, used, and 

released by the body; for some chemicals, animal 

testing may be necessary. Animal testing may also 

be used to identify health effects such as cancer or 

birth defects. Without laboratory animals, scientists 

would lose a basic method to get information 

needed to make wise decisions to protect public 

health. Scientists have the responsibility to treat 

research animals with care and compassion. Laws 

today protect the welfare of research animals, and 

scientists must comply with strict animal care 

guidelines. 

Beryllium is a metal that can be harmful when you 

breathe it. The effects depend on how much and 

how long you are exposed to it. When you breathe 

it in, beryllium can damage your lungs. When you 

breathe in large amounts of soluble beryllium 

compounds (greater than 1 mg beryllium per cubic 

meter of air, 1 mg/m3), the lung damage resembles 

pneumonia with reddening and swelling of the 

lungs. This condition is called acute beryllium 

disease. The lung damage may heal if beryllium 

exposure is stopped. Human studies have shown 

that occupational and community ambient air 

standards were effective in eliminating most acute 

lung disease. Some people can become sensitive to 

beryllium. This is known as hypersensitivity or 

allergy. If you become sensitive (allergic) to 

beryllium, you may develop an immune or 

inflammatory reaction to small amounts of 

beryllium that do not cause effects in people who 

are not sensitive to beryllium. When this occurs, 

white cells accumulate around the beryllium and 

form a chronic inflammatory reaction called 

granulomas (granulomas are not tumors). This 

condition is called chronic beryllium disease 

(CBD). This disease can occur long after exposure 

(10-15 years) to small amounts of either soluble or 

insoluble forms of beryllium (greater than 0.0005 

mg/m3). If you have this disease, you may feel 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

weak, tired, and have difficulty breathing. Some 

individuals that have CBD may experience 

anorexia, weight loss, and blueness of hands and 

feet. This disease could also lead to heart 

enlargement and heart disease in advanced cases. 

Both the short-term, pneumonia-like disease and the 

chronic beryllium disease can be fatal. Exposure 

levels associated with acute or chronic beryllium 

disease are more 100,000 times higher than normal 

air levels of beryllium. Long periods of exposure to 

beryllium have been reported to cause cancer in 

laboratory animals. Some studies of workers 

reported an increased risk of lung cancer. The U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services and the 

International Agency for Research on Cancer have 

determined that beryllium and beryllium 

compounds are human carcinogens. EPA has 

determined that beryllium is a probable human 

carcinogen. EPA has estimated that lifetime 

exposure to 0.00004 mg beryllium/m3 can result in a 

one in a thousand chance of developing cancer. We 

do not know if breathing air, eating food, or 

drinking water that contains beryllium or having 

skin contact with beryllium has any effects on 

reproduction or causes birth defects in humans or 

animals. Swallowing beryllium has not been 

reported to cause effects in humans because very 

little beryllium can move from the stomach or 

intestines into the bloodstream. Ulcers have been 

seen in dogs ingesting soluble beryllium salts in the 

diet. Beryllium contact with skin that has been 

scraped or cut may cause rashes or ulcers. If you 

have developed an allergy to beryllium and have 

skin contact with it, you can get granulomas on the 

skin. These skin granulomas appear as a rash or as 

nodules. The skin granulomas are formed in the 

same way that lung granulomas are formed in 

sensitive people. 

1.6 HOW CAN BERYLLIUM AFFECT 

CHILDREN? 

This section discusses potential health effects from 

exposures during the period from conception to 

maturity at 18 years of age in humans. 

It is likely that the health effects seen in children 

exposed to beryllium will be similar to the effects 

seen in adults; chronic beryllium disease was found 

in a child living near a beryllium factory. We do 

not know whether children differ from adults in 

their susceptibility to beryllium. 

We do not know if exposure to beryllium will result 

in birth defects or other developmental effects in 

people. The studies on developmental effects in 

animals are not conclusive. We have no 

information to suggest that there are any differences 

between children and adults in terms of how much 

beryllium will enter the body, where beryllium can 

be found in the body, and how fast beryllium will 

leave the body. It is likely that beryllium can be 

transferred from the mother to an infant in breast 

milk or that it can cross the placenta. 

1.7 HOW CAN FAMILIES REDUCE THE 

RISK OF EXPOSURE TO BERYLLIUM? 

If your doctor finds that you have been exposed to 

significant amounts of beryllium, ask whether your 

children might also be exposed. Your doctor might 

need to ask your state health department to 

investigate. 

Higher-than-normal levels of beryllium may be in 

soil at hazardous waste sites. Some children eat a 

lot of dirt. You should prevent your children from 

eating dirt. Make sure they wash their hands 

frequently, and before eating. If you live near a 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

hazardous waste site, discourage your children from 

putting their hands in their mouths or from engaging 

in other hand-to-mouth activities. Some children 

may be exposed to beryllium by contact with a 

family member who works in a facility using 

beryllium. If you work at a facility that uses 

beryllium, make sure you change your clothes and 

clean your hair and skin before leaving your job and 

returning home. Also, do not bring objects home 

such as works tools that may be contaminated with 

beryllium. 

1.8 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO 

DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO BERYLLIUM? 

Beryllium can be measured in the urine and blood, 

but the amount of beryllium in the urine or blood 

may not reflect the amount to which you were 

exposed. The measurement of beryllium in urine 

and blood may not determine how recently you 

were exposed. Small amounts of human lung and 

skin can be removed from the body and examined 

to determine whether beryllium is present in these 

tissues. These tests can be done in a doctor's office 

or in a hospital. While high levels of beryllium in 

urine, blood, or tissues indicate that you were 

exposed to an excessive amount of beryllium, low 

levels of beryllium do not necessarily mean that you 

were not exposed to an excessive amount. A blood 

test called the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation 

test (BeLPT) can determine if you have become 

sensitive to beryllium and may have chronic 

beryllium disease. 

1.9 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

The federal government develops regulations and 

recommendations to protect public health. 

Regulations can be enforced by law. Federal 

agencies that develop regulations for toxic 

substances include the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA). Recommendations provide 

valuable guidelines to protect public health but 

cannot be enforced by law. Federal organizations 

that develop recommendations for toxic substances 

include the Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH). 

Regulations and recommendations can be expressed 

in not-to-exceed levels in air, water, soil, or food 

that are usually based on levels that affect animals; 

then they are adjusted to help protect people. 

Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ among 

federal organizations because of different exposure 

times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour day), the use 

of different animal studies, or other factors. 

Recommendations and regulations are also 

periodically updated as more information becomes 

available. For the most current information, check 

with the federal agency or organization that 

provides it. Some regulations and 

recommendations for beryllium include the 

following: 

OSHA has set a limit of 2 μg beryllium/m3 of 

workroom air for an 8-hour work shift. NIOSH 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

BERYLLIUM 

CAS#: 7440-41-7 

Division of Toxicology September 2002 

recommends a standard for occupational exposure 

of 0.5 μg beryllium/m3 of workroom air during an 

8-hour shift to protect workers from the increased 

cancer risk associated with beryllium exposure. 

EPA restricts the amount of beryllium released into 

the air to 0.01 μg beryllium/m3 of air, averaged over 

a 30-day period. The Department of Energy (DOE) 

has developed a program to reduce beryllium 

exposure in workers at DOE facilities. EPA has set 

a maximum allowable amount of 0.004 mg/L 

beryllium in drinking water. 

1.10 WHERE CAN I GET MORE 

INFORMATION? 

If you have any more questions or concerns, 

please contact your community or state health or 

environmental quality department or: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Division of Toxicology 

1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32 

Atlanta, GA 30333 

Information line and technical assistance: 

Phone: 888-422-8737 

FAX: (770)-488-4178 

ATSDR can also tell you the location of 

occupational and environmental health clinics. 

These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, 

and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to 

hazardous substances. 

To order toxicological profiles, contact: 

National Technical Information Service 

5285 Port Royal Road 

Springfield, VA 22161 

Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000 

Reference 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). 2002. Toxicological profile for 

Beryllium. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Public Health Service. 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov