Acute inhalation toxicity of beryllium; four definitive studies of beryllium sulfate at exposure concentrations of 100, 50, 10, and 1 mg. per cubic meter
Stokinger, H.E.; Sprague, G.F.; Hall, R.H.; Ashenburg, N.J.; Scott, J.K.; Steadman, L.T.
Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine 1(4): 379-397
1950
ISSN/ISBN: 0273-1045 PMID: 15433488 Document Number: 8206
Acute beryllium poisoning with pulmonary lesions closely resembling those in man has been produced in animals exposed daily by inhalation to a beryllium sulfate mist. No transition of this response to the lesion of chronic granulomatosis developed at any level after more than three months' exposure. There are indications that inhaled beryllium sulfate produces manifestations other than pulmonary injury and that beryllium gives rise to a complex set of responses. Among these are anemia, which resembles the macrocytic type, changes of blood cell constituents and disturbances of nitrogen metabolism. Sufficient evidence has been adduced, (a) in the four inhalation studies, (b) in control sodium sulfate studies and (c) in studies with pure beryllium metal (intratracheal instillation) that the toxic manifestations observed are the result of the action of beryllium itself and not mainly the result of the associated anions of its acidic salts. The acute toxic responses have been produced at exposure concentrations and by tissue concentrations of beryllium far below those usually encountered in chemical toxicity. Amounts of the order of a few millimicrograms have been found in tissues where changes have been noted. A one hundred fold range of beryllium sulfate mist concentration has been explored and a number of the characteristics of the acute response in animals have been established for periods of exposure varying from fourteen to one hundred days. The type of pulmonary responses was little changed by decreasing the concentration from the 100 and 50 mg. levels to the 1 mg. level.
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