Evaluation of beryllium exposure in metallurgy industries

抄録

Beryllium toxicity is a long-known issue in the workplace. Beryllium exposure is associated notably with pulmonary disease preceded by sensitization to the element, and lung cancer. To protect workers exposed to beryllium, workplace exposure threshold limit values have been lowered to 50 ng.m^-3 by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.

The relevance of urinary beryllium as a biological indicator of exposure was investigated. Skin-wipe samples were also collected from some workers before and after the working day.

Three French enterprises were visited: a copper-beryllium alloy foundry, an aluminium-beryllium alloy foundry and an aluminium smelter. Seventy-eight volunteers, working as foundrymen, millers and blacksmiths, were monitored. Their beryllium urinary excretion levels were all close to those observed in populations with no occupational exposure, except for the foundrymen. The urinary beryllium profile for the aluminium smelter mirrored the fluoride one.

A relationship between atmospheric exposure and urinary excretion could not be established from statistical analysis. The urinary beryllium dose cannot therefore be used as a marker of beryllium exposure. Variations in urinary concentrations might be explained by different parameters, such as skin exposure or beryllium solubility, and by individual factors such as hygiene and smoking status. In contrast, skin-wipe samples showed a systematic increase in beryllium content before and after the working day. Skin-wipe samples may be the most appropriate indicator to evaluate beryllium exposure.