Kolanz M E
Brush Wellman Inc, USA.
Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 2001 May;16(5):559-67. doi: 10.1080/10473220119088.
Beryllium is an ubiquitous element in the environment, and it has many commercial applications. Because of its strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and nuclear properties, beryllium products are used in the aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, and electronics industries. What eventually came to be known as chronic beryllium disease (CBD) was first identified in the 1940s, when a cluster of cases was observed in workers from the fluorescent light industry. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommended the first 8-hour occupational exposure limit (OEL) for beryllium of 2.0 microg/m3 in 1949, which was later reviewed and accepted by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the vast majority of countries and standard-setting bodies worldwide. The 2.0 microg/m3 standard has been in use by the beryllium industry for more than 50 years and has been considered adequate to protect workers against clinical CBD. Recently, improved diagnostic techniques, including immunological testing and safer bronchoscopy, have enhanced our ability to identify subclinical CBD cases that would have formerly remained unidentified. Some recent epidemiological studies have suggested that some workers may develop CBD at exposures less than 2.0 microg/m3. ACGIH is currently reevaluating the adequacy of the current 2.0 microg/m3 guideline, and a plethora of research initiatives are under way to provide a better understanding of the cause of CBD. The research is focusing on the risk factors and exposure metrics that could be associated with CBD, as well as on efforts to better characterize the natural history of CBD. There is growing evidence that particle size and chemical form may be important factors that influence the risk of developing CBD. These research efforts are expected to provide data that will help identify a scientifically based OEL that will protect workers against CBD.
铍是环境中普遍存在的元素，有许多商业用途。由于其强度、电导率和热导率、耐腐蚀性及核特性，铍产品被用于航空航天、汽车、能源、医疗和电子行业。最终被称为慢性铍病（CBD）的疾病最早于20世纪40年代被发现，当时在荧光灯行业的工人中观察到了一系列病例。1949年，美国原子能委员会推荐了首个铍的8小时职业接触限值（OEL）为2.0微克/立方米，该限值后来得到了美国政府工业卫生学家会议（ACGIH）、美国工业卫生协会（AIHA）、美国国家标准学会（ANSI）、职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）以及全球绝大多数国家和标准制定机构的审查和认可。2.0微克/立方米的标准已在铍行业使用了50多年，一直被认为足以保护工人免受临床CBD的侵害。最近，包括免疫检测和更安全的支气管镜检查在内的改进诊断技术，提高了我们识别以前无法识别的亚临床CBD病例的能力。一些近期的流行病学研究表明，一些工人在接触低于2.0微克/立方米的情况下可能会患上CBD。ACGIH目前正在重新评估当前2.0微克/立方米指南的充分性，并且正在开展大量研究计划，以更好地了解CBD的病因。研究重点是可能与CBD相关的风险因素和接触指标，以及更好地描述CBD自然史的努力。越来越多的证据表明，颗粒大小和化学形态可能是影响患CBD风险的重要因素。这些研究工作预计将提供数据，有助于确定基于科学的OEL，以保护工人免受CBD的侵害。
