An eco-friendly porous hydrogel adsorbent based on dextran/phosphate/amino for efficient removal of Be(II) from aqueous solution

A novel environmentally-friendly porous hydrogel adsorbent (GHPN) is firstly designed and prepared using dextran, phosphate, and calcium hydroxide for the adsorption of Be(II). GHPN shows good adsorption selectivity for Be(II) (Kd = 1.53 × 104 mL/g). According the adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics, the theoretical adsorption capacity of GHPN to Be(II) is 43.75 mg/g (35 °C, pH = 6.5), indicating a spontaneous exothermic reaction. After being reused for 5 cycles, the adsorption and desorption efficiencies of Be(II) with GHPN are obtained to be more than 80 %, showing acceptable recycling performance. Both of the characterizations and theoretical calculations indicate that the phosphate group, hydroxyl group, and amino group own the affinity to form stable complexes with Be(II). Benefiting from the introduction of phosphate and amino, the adsorption effect of the hydrogel adsorbent on Be(II) can be greatly improved, and surface precipitation, complexation, and ligand exchange are the dominant mechanisms of beryllium adsorption. The results suggest that GHPN has great potential to be utilized as an eco-friendly and useful adsorbent of Be(II) from aqueous solution.

Porous durian shell biochar modified by KMnO4 (Mn-DSB) as a highly selective adsorbent for Be(II)

The mining of uranium-beryllium ores has resulted in substantial beryllium (Be) contamination. In this study, agricultural waste durian shells were utilized as raw materials to prepare biochar, which was further modified to enhance its adsorption capacity (Mn-DSB). The results effectively demonstrated Mn loading onto the DSB surface. Batch experiments were conducted to identify the optimal adsorption conditions of Mn-DSB for beryllium. At a temperature of 35 °C and pH 6, beryllium's maximum adsorption capacity (Qe) was 42.08 mg·g-1. The materials' internal structure was analyzed before and after adsorption via multiple techniques. Mn-DSB manifested potent selectivity towards beryllium in multicomponent mixed solutions, binary systems, and uranium-beryllium wastewater, as the beryllium removal rate exceeded 90%. The study investigated the recyclability of Mn-DSB and found that after five reuse cycles, the adsorption and desorption efficiencies were 90% and 85%, respectively. The strong ligand complexation (N-H, CO32-, -OH) and ion exchange mechanisms (with Mn7+ ions) of Mn-DSB explained its high adsorption capacity. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential of Mn-DSB for treating uranium-beryllium tailing wastewater.

Mono-Ortho-Beryllated Carbodiphosphoranes: Synthesis, Structure, Bonding and Reactivity

The reaction of organoberyllium compounds with hexaphenylcarbodiphosphorane yields mono-ortho-beryllated complexes, which feature a double dative Be=C bond. The bonding situation in these compounds together with a simple carbodiphosphorane and an N-heterocyclic carbene adduct was analysed with energy decomposition analysis in combination with natural orbital for chemical valence as well as with quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules. Furthermore, the driving forces accountable for mono-ortho-beryllation were elucidated along with the reactivity of the Be=C bond.

Synthesised and modified zeolite for effective management of beryllium contaminants in aqueous media under different conditions

The effective management of beryllium (Be) in solution is not well established. In this study, zeolite was synthesised from coal fly ash (CFA) and further modified to enhance Be sorption. Results indicated zeolite NaP1 was effectively synthesised, and cross-linked chitosan was grafted in/on the zeolite structure during modification. The Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area substantially increased from 1.05 m2/g in CFA to 94.0 m2/g in the synthesised zeolite (SZ). Furthermore, the modified zeolite (MZ) showed improved functionality as a reactive site for Be sorption. A comparative sorption study revealed inferior sorption (11.3 %) and higher desorption (56.1 %) of Be using CFA than the sorption using SZ (93.0 % sorption, 2.9 % desorption) and MZ (93.0 % sorption, 1.5 % desorption). Consequently, SZ and MZ exhibited higher sorption efficacy than commercial zeolite (57.4 %) and other commercial sorbents. At an experimental pH of 5.5 [relevant to the pH of Little Forest Legacy Waste Site (LFLS) soil, a representative site for potential Be contamination], MZ showed higher sorption than SZ. The higher sorption in MZ resulted from its elevated ligand complexation [with nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and oxygen (O)] and some ion exchange (with Na+, -NH3+, and H+ ions) mechanisms. Moreover, increased sorption (up to 99 %) was observed using colloidal soil solution (CSS) collected from LFLS soil to simulate field conditions after extensive rainfall. Different environmental factors (e.g. pH, temperature, time, CSS, concentrations of sorbate, and sorbent) regulated Be sorption. The sorption mechanism was best described by the Langmuir model, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.999). Moreover, the sorption reaction was spontaneous (ΔG = -Ve), enthalpically, and entropically influenced. Desorption hysteresis (ndesorption/nsorption < 1) suggested irreversible sorption, and the chemisorption mechanism of Be was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis.

Effect of mechanical-chemical modification on adsorption of beryllium by calcite

The treatment of beryllium wastewater has become a major problem in industry. In this paper, CaCO3 is creatively proposed to treat beryllium-containing wastewater. Calcite was modified by an omnidirectional planetary ball mill by a mechanical-chemical method. The results show that the maximum adsorption capacity of CaCO3 for beryllium is up to 45 mg/g. The optimum treatment conditions were pH = 7 and the amount of adsorbent was 1 g/L, and the best removal rate was 99%. The concentration of beryllium in the CaCO3-treated solution is less than 5 μg/L, which meets the international emission standard. The results show that the surface co-precipitation reaction between CaCO3 and Be (II) mainly occurs. Two different precipitates are generated on the used-CaCO3 surface; one is the tightly connected Be (OH)2 precipitation, and the other is the loose Be2(OH)2CO3 precipitation. When the pH of the solution exceeds 5.5, Be2+ in the solution is first precipitated by Be (OH)2. After CaCO3 is added, CO32- will further react with Be3(OH)33+ to form Be2(OH)2CO3 precipitation. CaCO3 can be considered as an adsorbent with great potential to remove beryllium from industrial wastewater.

Comparing [3H] thymidine LPT and CFSE assay to assess lymphocyte proliferation in beryllium-exposed sarcoidosis patients

The detection of antigen specific lymphocyte responses plays a vital role in the diagnosis of various diseases. Beryllium-specific [3H] thymidine lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT) is regarded as a gold standard in identifying chronic beryllium disease (CBD) cases. Alternatively, flow cytometric based carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay, has several benefits as opposed to LPT, since it further permits both phenotypical characterization and functional analysis of proliferating lymphocyte subsets. The suitability of both LPT and CFSE assay to therefore detect beryllium sensitivity in a group of Be-exposed sarcoidosis patients with suspected beryllium exposure, was evaluated in this study. The clinical relevance of the test responses, expressed as stimulation indices (SI), were additionally compared on a group and individual level. Agreement in clinical interpretation of the test responses between both methods was observed in 4 out of 5 recruited patients, when considering total lymphocyte population i.e., CD3+ and CD19+-cells combined, on day 7 and with CFSE-SI >1.5, when compared with LPT-SI >2.5. Variability in responses to beryllium was additionally evaluated in Be-exposed sarcoidosis patients and compared with healthy controls. To conclude, both LPT and CFSE assay are suitable assays to detect Be sensitivity in Be-exposed sarcoidosis patients. At the same time, flow cytometric based CFSE assay has the edge over LPT in identifying the relevant proliferating lymphocyte populations. As such, when comparing two or more methods, factors that contribute to assay variability such as timepoints, lymphocyte subsets and number of replicates should always be accounted for.

Toxic metals and the risks of sludge from the treatment of wastewater from beryllium smelting

The release of highly toxic beryllium in sludge (BCS) produced by physico-chemical treatment of beryllium-containing wastewater from Be smelting production has become a growing concern with the widespread use of Be in the defense industry. This work investigated the potential mobility of Be in BCS. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) of BCS showed that the amount of leached Be was up to 202 mg L^-1, which exceeded the regulated limit by nearly 10,000 times. The chemical fractionation analysis further revealed that the excessive amount of Be leached from BCS was contributed to the high content of acid-soluble fraction and reducible fraction of Be, which accounted for over 70% of the Be content. The results obtained from mineralogical automatic analyzer (MLA) showed that gypsum (23.23%) and epidote (19.55%) were the two major mineralogical phases of BCS. Both were small and loosely structured agglomerated particles with a D₅₀ of 6.61 μm and 3.31 μm. ToF-SIMS results revealed that the Be distribution on the surface of BCS particles was relatively dispersed, with no aggregation or encapsulation. Be co-precipitated with gypsum and chlorite in the form of unstable Be(OH)₂, which attached to the surface of these small particles. The unstable state of Be and the small size, loose structure and high liberation of the host material phases are the main reasons for the high leaching mobility of Be. The results of the risk assessment indicated that BCS posed an extremely high potential ecological risk, with Be being the most significant contributor.

Evaluating potential ecological risks of emerging toxic elements in lacustrine sediments: A case study in Lake Fuxian, China

The fragile ecosystems of plateau lakes are in face of ecological risks from emerging toxic elements. Beryllium (Be) and thallium (Tl) have been considered priority control metals in recent years owing to their persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. However, the toxic factors of Be and Tl are scarce and ecological risks of them in the aquatic environment were seldom investigated. Hence, this study developed a framework for calculating the potential ecological risk index (PERI) of Be and Tl in aquatic systems and used it to assess the ecological risks of Be and Tl in Lake Fuxian, a plateau lake in China. The toxicity factors of Be and Tl were calculated to be 40 and 5, respectively. In sediments of Lake Fuxian, the concentrations of Be and Tl were between 2.18 and 4.04 mg/kg and 0.72-0.94 mg/kg, respectively. The spatial distribution indicated that Be was more abundant in the eastern and southern regions, and Tl had higher concentrations near the northern and southern banks, consistent with the distribution of anthropogenic activities. The background values were calculated as 3.38 mg/kg and 0.89 mg/kg for Be and Tl, respectively. In comparison with Be, Tl was more enriched in Lake Fuxian. The increasing Tl enrichment has been attributed to anthropogenic activities (e.g., coal burning and non-ferrous metal production), especially since the 1980s. Generally, Be and Tl contamination has decreased over the past several decades, from moderate to low, since the 1980s. The ecological risk of Tl was low, whereas Be might have caused low to moderate ecological risks. In the future, the obtained toxic factors of Be and Tl in this study can be adopted in assessing the ecological risks of them in sediments. Moreover, the framework can be employed for the ecological risk assessment of other newly emerging toxic elements in the aquatic environment.

Open-Cage Fullerene as a Selective Molecular Trap for LiF/[BeF]. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023;62:e202300151. [PMID: 36718977 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202300151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

The insertion of ionic compounds into open-cage fullerenes is a challenging task due to the electropositive nature of the cavity. The present work reports the preparation of an open-cage C₆₀ derivative with a hydroxy group pointing towards the centre of the cavity, which can coordinate to a metal cation, thus acting as a bait/hook to trap the metal cation such as the lithium cation in neutral LiF and the beryllium cation in the cationic [BeF]⁺ species. Other metal salts could not be inserted under similar conditions. The structure of MF in the cage was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Owing to its tendency to undergo polycoordination, Li⁺ monomer salts have not been isolated before, despite extensive research on Li bonds. The present results provide a unique example of a Li bond.

Human urinary and blood toxicokinetics of beryllium after accidental exposure

PURPOSE

Beryllium is known to have adverse health effects and is classified as carcinogenic to humans. However, data on systemic beryllium exposure in humans are rare and especially human toxicokinetics are largely uncharted. As such, the first reported multi-annual course of blood and urine concentrations after a high exposure scenario provides important new insights.

METHODS

For a medical follow-up biomonitoring samples were collected for 56 months from a male subject after an accidental and multi-faceted high exposure. Sampling started on day 2 post-exposure for urine and day 147 for blood. The samples were analyzed by inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and plotted longitudinally as a function of time. Terminal half-lives were calculated assuming a first-order elimination process.

MAIN FINDINGS

Both matrices showed highly increased initial concentrations (about 100-fold), despite the 147-day delay in blood sampling, and a marked decline over time. In urine, a two-phase excretion process was suspected based on the longitudinal data. Calculations gave terminal half-lives of 117.5 days and 666.5 days for phases 1 and 2, respectively. Blood kinetics called for a terminal half-life of 103.5 days. Elimination kinetics in blood and urine were comparable, simultaneously gathered samples showed an excellent correlation (R² = 0.985).

PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS

The long-term follow-up after a high initial exposure to beryllium provides the first detailed insights into the elimination course of systemically available beryllium in humans. Conform kinetics of beryllium in urine and blood and the strong correlation between both parameters indicate high data validity and support the good representation of the current systemically available beryllium by urine and blood concentration in humans. The relatively long terminal half-lives in both matrices suggest a possible accumulation in humans in case of repeated exposures.

A new highly Selective, sensitive and NIR spectrophotometric probe based on A2B2-Type of unsymmetrical phthalocyanine for hazardous Be2+ recognition

The aim of this work is to construct a new A₂B₂-type of unsymmetrical and ratiometric phthalocyanine (Pc) based-probe O-A₂B₂ZnPc to provide an effective solution to critical inadequacy to be experienced for the detection of hazardous Be²⁺. O-A₂B₂ZnPc enabling strong absorption and emission in Near-Infrared region (λ_abs-λ_em wavelengths of 694-712 nm) showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity toward Be²⁺ among competitive metal ions by both spectrophotometric and fluorometric methods. The probe with oligomeric Pc form in THF was degraded with the addition of aqueous Be²⁺ and arranged to J-aggregation form, resulting in a remarkably diminishing in Q-band at 694 nm as well as a new band formation at 746 nm, and a considerably decreasing in fluorescence emission. The probe has superior features for the determination of Be²⁺ such as high quantum efficiency and photochemical stability, rapid response (1 s), high selectivity and very low Limit of Detection (0.26 ppb and 1.5 ppb) for UV-Vis and fluorescence, respectively which are quite good values according to the permissible amount of Be²⁺ (4 ppb) in water as specified by World Health Organization. O-A₂B₂ZnPc can be shown among the best performing probes with its unique properties according to previous studies in the literature. In addition, the geometrical and spectral features of the O-A₂B₂ZnPc were analyzed in detail by DFT calculations.

Heavy metal contamination of selected mining fields in North-Central Nigeria

This study evaluates the causes, concentration and the associated health risks of selected heavy metals (HMs) in soil samples collected from beryllium and gold mining fields in Nigeria. The samples of soil were collected manually and analysed by means of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Seventy-two (72) samples were analysed which presented varying degrees of concentration of the selected HMs. The analysed HMs are Chromium (Cr), Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), Manganese (Mn), Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Lead (Pb). Deterministic and stochastic approaches were explore to examine the human health risks. The evaluated Hazard Indices (HI) for the investigated mining locations are < 1, the recommended threshold provided by United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for acceptable non-cancer risk. The estimated cancer risk levels for the mining locations exceeds the acceptable range of 1.00E-6 and 1.00E-4.•Thus, the mining is making significant contribution to HMs pollution, which is dangerous human health.•However, the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) reveals that the 95th, 50th and 5th percentiles of the cumulative probability of the cancer risks are within the acceptable range.•This work will be useful for decision makers in mitigating heavy metals contamination due to mining activities.

The assessment of the soil-plant-animal transport of the risk elements at the locations affected by brown coal mining

The North Bohemian Brown Coal Basin (Czech Republic) is suggested as a source of significant pollution in the surrounding environment with various pollutants, including risk elements. A total of 53 sampling points were selected within the North Bohemian region. The selected sampling points represented either the basin areas (affected by the coal mining and related activities) or the mountain areas (an area unaffected by the coal mining but characterized by the geogenic sources of the risk elements). At each of the sampling points, soils and respective dominant indigenous plant samples were collected. A suite of ecological indices, namely, individual pollution index (Ii), Nemerow index (PN), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), translocation factor (TF), and hazard quotient (HQ), were applied to estimate the environmental risk of As, Be, Cd, and Zn levels in soils, potential soil-plant transfer, and soil-plant-animal transport of these stated elements. The results from Ii showed that the maximum values of As, Be, Cd, and Zn in the investigated soils exceeded the preventive values, where the Ii value was up to 58 for As in the mountain areas, indicating severe pollution. At the same time, mild pollution was recorded in the case of Cd. For Be in the researched soils, its Ii assessment result was a wide range, varying between a clean environment and severe pollution. Whereas As and Be uptake by plants was limited and these elements were retained in the plant's roots, relatively high mobility and soil to plant shoots transport ability of Cd were recorded and documented by the TF values. The HQs calculated for selected herbivorous mammals in the area showed that the potential health risk of As and Be was limited to only plant roots in the hotspots with extreme As and Be contents. In comparison, substantial health risk of Cd was observed in the aboveground biomass of plants. Therefore, the potential remediation of the coal mining areas should be focused on (i) identification of the As and Be hotspots and (ii) to reduce the mobility and plant availability of Cd in the whole investigated area.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus "Rhizophagus irregularis" impacts on physiological and biochemical responses of ryegrass and chickpea plants under beryllium stress

Heavy metals such as beryllium (Be) have been identified as toxic for plants with a negative impact on plant growth. Therefore, there is an urgent need for environmentally friendly techniques to reduce Be toxicity on plant growth and productivity. To this end, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely applied to induce plant growth and stress tolerance. However, how AMF-plant symbiosis can support plants under Be stress has not been studied. Accordingly, we investigated the physiological and biochemical responses of AMF inoculated ryegrass and chickpea plants to Be stress. The associated changes in Be uptake and accumulation, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, carbon and nitrogen metabolism were studied. Soil contamination with Be induced higher Be accumulation, particularly in ryegrass, which consequentially reduced plant growth and photosynthesis. However, photorespiration and oxidative damage (H₂O₂ accumulation, lipid oxidation, and LOX activity) were increased, mainly in ryegrass. In both plant species, AMF inoculation reduced Be accumulation and mitigated growth inhibition and oxidative damage, but to a more extent in ryegrass. This could be explained by improved photosynthesis as well as the upregulation of osmoprotectants i.e., sucrose and proline biosynthesis pathways. The increase in proline level was consistent with higher nitrogen (N) metabolism as reflected by N level and nitrate reductase. Species-specific responses were recorded and supported by principal component analysis. This study provided insight into the mechanism of AMF's impact on Be-stressed ryegrass and chickpea plants. Hence, the current research suggested that AMF inoculation could be used as a viable strategy to mitigate Be phytotoxicity in ryegrass and chickpea plants.

Realistic biomarkers from plasma extracellular vesicles for detection of beryllium exposure

Purpose

Exposures related to beryllium (Be) are an enduring concern among workers in the nuclear weapons and other high-tech industries, calling for regular and rigorous biological monitoring. Conventional biomonitoring of Be in urine is not informative of cumulative exposure nor health outcomes. Biomarkers of exposure to Be based on non-invasive biomonitoring could help refine disease risk assessment. In a cohort of workers with Be exposure, we employed blood plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) to discover novel biomarkers of exposure to Be.

Methods

EVs were isolated from plasma using size-exclusion chromatography and subjected to mass spectrometry-based proteomics. A protein-based classifier was developed using LASSO regression and validated by ELISA.

Results

We discovered a dual biomarker signature comprising zymogen granule protein 16B and putative protein FAM10A4 that differentiated between Be-exposed and -unexposed subjects. ELISA-based quantification of the biomarkers in an independent cohort of samples confirmed higher expression of the signature in the Be-exposed group, displaying high predictive accuracy (AUROC = 0.919). Furthermore, the biomarkers efficiently discriminated high- and low-exposure groups (AUROC = 0.749).

Conclusions

This is the first report of EV biomarkers associated with Be exposure and exposure levels. The biomarkers could be implemented in resource-limited settings for Be exposure assessment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00420-022-01871-7.

Study of the naturally occurring radionuclide Beryllium-7 (Be-7) in Hong Kong

Beryllium-7 (Be-7) is one of the naturally occurring radionuclides being monitored under the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme of the World Meteorological Organization. Be-7 mainly originates from cosmic rays. It can be used as a tracer to facilitate understanding of the atmospheric vertical transport by observing its spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. The Hong Kong Observatory has been operating an environmental radiation monitoring programme for decades, and long record of Be-7 activity concentration data in airborne particulate samples are available to characterize the behaviour of Be-7 in the lower atmosphere in Hong Kong. In this study, Be-7 activity concentration data of airborne particulates collected at three locations in Hong Kong from 1993 to 2020 are examined. Temporal variations are analyzed. In particular, the long-term monthly average Be-7 activity concentrations are found to be most sensitive to precipitation. The relevant data analysis, as well as key factors affecting the Be-7 activity concentrations in the lower atmosphere in Hong Kong, will be described.

Assessment of dermal absorption of beryllium and copper contained in temple tips of eyeglasses

Dermal exposure to hazardous substances such as chemicals, toxics, metallic items and other contaminants may present substantial danger for health. Beryllium (Be) is a hazardous metal, especially when inhaled and/or in direct contact with the skin, associated with chronic beryllium disease (CBD) and Be sensitization (BeS). The objective of this study was to investigate the percutaneous penetration of beryllium and copper contained in metallic items as eyeglass temple tips (specifically BrushCAST® Copper Beryllium Casting Alloys containing Be 0.35 < 2.85%; Cu 95.3-98.7%), using Franz diffusion cells. This work demonstrated that the total skin absorption of Cu was higher (8.86%) compared to Be (4.89%), which was expected based on the high percentage of Cu contained in the eyeglass temple tips. However, Be accumulated significantly in the epidermis and dermis (up to 0.461 µg/cm²) and, to a lesser extent, in the stratum corneum (up to 0.130 µg/cm²) with a flux of permeation of 3.52 ± 4.5 µg/cm²/hour and lag time of 2.3 ± 1.3 h, after cutaneous exposure of temple tip into 1.0 mL artificial sweat for 24 h. Our study highlights the importance of avoiding the use of Be alloys in items following long-term skin contact.

Beryllium in contaminated soils: Implication of beryllium bioaccessibility by different exposure pathways

Inhalation exposure and beryllium (Be) toxicity are well-known, but research on bioaccessibility from soils via different exposure pathways is limited. This study examined soils from a legacy radioactive waste disposal site using in vitro ingestion (Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium [SBRC], physiologically based extraction test [PBET], in vitro gastrointestinal [IVG]), inhalation (simulated epithelial lung fluid [SELF]) and dynamic two-stage bioaccessibility (TBAc) methods, as well as 0.43 M HNO₃ extraction. The results showed, 70 ± 4.8%, 56 ± 16.8% and 58 ± 5.7% of total Be were extracted (gastric phase [GP] + intestinal phase [IP]) in the SBRC, PBET, and IVG methods, respectively. Similar bioaccessibility of Be (~18%) in PBET-IP and SELF was due to chelating agents in the extractant. Moreover, TBAc-IP showed higher extraction (20.8 ± 2.0%) in comparison with the single-phase (SBRC-IP) result (4.8 ± 0.23%), suggesting increased Be bioaccessibility and toxicity in the gastrointestinal tract when the contamination derives from the inhalation route. The results suggested Be bioaccessibility depends on solution pH; time of extraction; soil reactive fractions (organic-inorganic); particle size, and the presence of chelating agents in the fluid. This study has significance for understanding Be bioaccessibility via different exposure routes and the application of risk-based management of Be-contaminated sites.

Sorption of beryllium in cementitious systems relevant for nuclear waste disposal: Quantitative description and mechanistic understanding

Beryllium has applications in fission and fusion reactors, and it is present in specific streams of radioactive waste. Accordingly, the environmental mobility of beryllium needs to be assessed in the context of repositories for nuclear waste. Although cement is widely used in these facilities, Be(II) uptake by cementitious materials was not previously investigated and was hence assumed negligible. Sorption experiments were performed under Ar-atmosphere. Ordinary Portland cement, low pH cement, calcium silicate hydrated (C-S-H) phases and the model system TiO₂ were investigated. Sorption kinetics, sorption isotherms and distribution ratios (R_d, in kg⋅L^-1) were determined for these systems. Molecular dynamics were used to characterize the surface processes driving Be(II) uptake. A strong uptake (5 ≤ log R_d ≤ 7) is quantified for all investigated cementitious systems. Linear sorption isotherms are observed over three orders of magnitude in [Be(II)]_aq, confirming that the uptake is controlled by sorption processes and that solubility phenomena is not relevant within the investigated conditions. The analogous behaviour observed for cement and C-S-H support that the latter are the main sink of beryllium. The two step sorption kinetics is explained by a fast surface complexation process, followed by the slow incorporation of Be(II) in C-S-H. Molecular dynamics indicate that Be(OH)₃^- and Be(OH)₄^2- are sorbed to the C-S-H surface through Ca-bridges. This work provides a comprehensive quantitative and mechanistic description of Be(II) uptake by cementitious materials, whose retention properties can be now reliably assessed for a wide range of boundary conditions of relevance in nuclear waste disposal.

Be-Be π bonding and predicted superconductivity in MBe2 (M=Zr, Hf)

Beryllium, an s-block element, forms an aromatic network of delocalized Be-Be π bonds in alloys ZrBe2 and HfBe2. This gives rise to a structure that fits description as stacked [Be2]4- layers with tetravalent cations in between. The [Be2]4- sublattice is isoelectronic and isostructural to graphite, as well as the [B]-2 sublattice in MgB2, and it bears identical manifestations of π bonding in its electronic band structure. These come in the form of degeneracies at K and H in the Brillouin zone, separated in energy as the result of interlayer orbital interactions. Zr and Hf use their valence d orbitals to form bonds with the layers, leading to nearly identical band structures. Like MgB2, ZrBe2 and HfBe2 are computed to be phonon-mediated superconductors at ambient pressures, with respective critical temperatures of 11.4 K and 8.8 K. The coupling strength between phonons and free electrons is very similar, so that the difference in critical temperatures is controlled by the mass of constituent interlayer ions.

Di(indenyl)beryllium

The bonding in beryllocene, [BeCp₂ ], took decades to establish, owing to its unexpected mixed hapticity structure (i.e., [Be(η⁵ -Cp)(η¹ -Cp)]). Beryllium complexes containing the indenyl ligand, which is a close relative of the cyclopentadienyl anion, but which is also known to exhibit its own bonding peculiarities (e.g., facile η⁵ ⇄ η³ shifts), have remained unknown. Standard metathetical approaches to their synthesis (e.g., with K[Ind'] + BeX₂ in an ether solvent) give rise to intractable oils from which nothing identifiable can be isolated. In contrast, mechanochemical preparation, involving the solvent-free grinding of BeBr₂ and potassium indenides, leads to the production of discrete (indenyl)beryllium complexes, including [Be(C₉ H₇ )₂ ] (1) and [Be{1,3-(SiMe₃ )₂ C₉ H₅ }Br] (2). The former displays η⁵ /η¹ -coordinated ligands in the solid state, but DFT calculations indicate that an η⁵ /η⁵ -conformation is less than 5 kcal mol^-1 higher in energy.

A Neutral Beryllium(I) Radical

The reduction of a cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)-stabilized organoberyllium chloride yields the first neutral beryllium radical, which was characterized by EPR, IR, and UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and DFT calculations.

The influence of soil properties on sorption-desorption of beryllium at a low level radioactive legacy waste site

This study examined the influence of soil physicochemical properties on the sorption, desorption and kinetics of beryllium (Be) uptake and release on soils from a legacy waste site in Australia. This information is needed to help explain the current distribution of Be at the site and evaluate potential future environmental risks. Sorption was determined by a batch study and key soil properties were assessed to explain Be retention. The soil was favourable for sorption of Be (up to 99%) due to organic content, negative surface charge, soil oxyhydroxides (Fe/Al/Mn-O/OH) and the porosity of the soil structure. Lesser sorption was observed in the presence of a background electrolyte (NaNO₃). Sorption closely followed pseudo second order kinetics and was best described by the Langmuir model. FTIR analysis suggested that chemisorption was the predominant mechanism of Be sorption. Desorption was very low and best described by the Freundlich model. The low desorption reflected the high K_d (up to 6624 L/kg), and the presence of hysteresis suggested partially irreversible binding of Be with active surfaces of the soil matrix (minerals, SOM, oxyhydroxides of Fe/Al/Mn etc.). Intra-particle diffusion of Be and entrapment in the pores contribute to the irreversible binding. The sorption behaviour of Be helped to explain the relative immobility of Be at the site despite the significant quantities of Be disposed. Soil physicochemical properties were significant for Be sorption, through influencing both the uptake and desorption, and this demonstrates the implications of these measurements for evaluating potential future risks to the environment.

Chemical and physical drivers of beryllium retention in two soil endmembers

Meteoric ¹⁰Be and ⁷Be produced in the atmosphere from high-energy spallation reactions are deposited onto the Earth's surface through wet and dry deposition and are sorbed onto the surfaces of particles. On land, the sorbed concentrations scale with the residence time of sediments in a landscape-offset by slow (¹⁰Be) and fast (⁷Be) radioactive decay. Additionally, the amount of native ⁹Be, leached from minerals, correlates with the chemical weathering of soils. However, previous work has shown that chemical and physical properties of soils and river sediments affects sorption of beryllium. Therefore, the magnitude of sorbed beryllium concentrations may be more representative of the sorption capacity of the system rather than its erosional or weathering history. Although previous work has examined the physical and chemical properties of soil that influence beryllium sorption, these studies either lack consensus or exclude potentially important variables. In this work, we provide a thorough examination of variables previously reported to have influence on beryllium chemistry as well as new variables such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur concentrations in order to determine which factors best predict beryllium sorption. We selected two soil endmembers with differing compositions, separated them into different size fractions, and characterized the surface area, cation exchange capacity (CEC), mineralogy, sulfur, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. We determined that the inverse percent abundance of quartz and the CEC best predict beryllium sorption potential in these soils. By deriving a model that relates these two variables to the percent sorbed beryllium, we were able to predict the sorption capacity of our system and reduced the error in sorbed beryllium amounts due to differences in soil properties by about 42%. From these results, we provide insight as to why there is inconsistency in the literature with regards to the physio-chemical controls on the environmental behavior of beryllium.

Theoretical study of boron, beryllium and lithium clusters (n=2-6), adsorption on graphitic carbon nitride and the study of acceptor-donor orbital of the coordination of a styrene molecule on [cluster/g-C3N4] systems

The adsorption of boron, beryllium and lithium clusters on graphitic carbon nitride g-C₃N₄, and the adsorption of styrene molecule on the B, Be, Li cluster/g-C₃N₄ sheet have been investigated through the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our calculations show distortion of the geometry of the clusters when coordinating with the g-C₃N₄ sheet. Boron (n = 5 and 6), beryllium (n = 2-4, 6) and Li₃ cluster on g-C₃N₄ present characteristics to adsorb a styrene molecule. The styrene on Be₄/g-C₃N₄ system exhibits better adsorption, due to the beryllium atoms have strong interactions with the π-orbitals of the aromatic ring of the styrene molecule. The study of natural bond orbitals of styrene-cluster/g-C₃N₄ systems showed the donation process from the styrene molecule and the g-C₃N₄ sheet towards the boron, beryllium and lithium clusters. Only back donation was observed the boron and beryllium clusters.

Dataset on radioactivity measurement of Beryllium mining field in Ifelodun and gold mining field in Moro, Kwara State, North-central Nigeria

This work contains dataset of measured activity concentrations of 40K, 238U, 232Th and gamma doses at 1 m above the ground level over Beryllium and Gold mining fields in Ifelodun and Moro respectively, Kwara State, North-central Nigeria. A well calibrated Super-Spec (RS-125) gamma spectrometer was used to carry out these measurements. Measurements were carried out manually in 72 randomly selected sample points. Statistical analyses of the data were explored to infer potential statistical relationships. The obtained dataset is presented for further assessment that can offer insights into the safety state of Ifelodu, Moro and their environs from radiation protection point of view. The data in this study could serve as a substantial baseline radiological data of the region for future monitoring and epidemiology researches.

Immunoreactivity to metal and silica associates with sarcoidosis in Dutch patients

Background

Involvement of metals or silica in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis has been suggested by several case reports and specific epidemiological studies. However, the combination of occupational exposure and an immunological reaction has not been studied before in a group of sarcoidosis patients and non-sarcoidosis controls.

Methods

In 256 sarcoidosis patients and 73 control patients with obstructive sleep apnea, exposure to metal and silica was assessed using a questionnaire consisting of a complete occupational history subsequently linked to job-exposure matrices. Next, immunoreactivity to aluminium, beryllium, zirconium and silica was determined in 33 sarcoidosis and 19 control patients using a lymphocyte proliferation test.

Results

In sarcoidosis, 83 out 256 patients (32.4%) had occupational exposure to metals or silica, compared to 24.7% in the control group (p = 0.21). A significantly higher percentage of the sarcoidosis patients tested showed immunoreactivity to metals or silica compared to the control group (21.2 and 0% respectively, p = 0.039).

Conclusions

Immunoreactivity to silica and metals was only found in sarcoidosis patients, supporting the hypothesis that these antigens may be involved in the pathogenesis of a distinct subgroup of sarcoidosis patients. This indicates that when searching for causative agents in sarcoidosis patients, besides beryllium, also zirconium, aluminium and silica deserve clinical investigation.

Formation Mechanism of Twinning Superlattices in Doped GaAs Nanowires

Recent investigations of III-V semiconductor nanowires have revealed periodic zinc-blende twins, known as twinning superlattices, that are often induced by a high-impurity dopant concentration. In the present study, the relationship between the nanowire morphology, crystal structure, and impurity dopant concentration (Te and Be) of twinning superlattices has been studied in GaAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy using the self-assisted (with a Ga droplet) vapor-liquid-solid process. The contact angle between the Ga droplet and the nanowire top facet decreased linearly with the dopant concentration, whereas the period of the twinning superlattices increased with the doping concentration and was proportional to the nanowire radius. Our model, which is based entirely on surface energetics, is able to explain a unified formation mechanism of twinning superlattices in doped semiconductor nanowires.

First simultaneous detection of helium and tritium inside bubbles in beryllium

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) was applied to detect and analyze quantitatively helium (He) and tritium (³H) enclosed inside bubbles in irradiated beryllium. Both gases were formed in beryllium under neutron irradiation as a consequence of neutron-induced transmutation reactions. They were detected for the first time as pronounced peaks at 13.0 eV for ³H and 22.4 eV for He in EELS spectra collected from flat hexagonal bubbles. An adhesion of ³H or formation of thin beryllium hydride layers on the internal basal surfaces was observed. The number densities of both gases were estimated using electron scattering cross-section and intensities obtained from EELS spectra. The number density values estimated for various bubbles fluctuate from 4 to 15 at/nm³ for He and from 4 to 10 molecules/nm³ for ³H₂. Lower gas number density was measured inside large bubbles. The observed higher density of tritium at inner walls of bubbles seems to confirm very recent ab initio calculations of the interaction of hydrogen isotopes with beryllium surfaces.

Potential targets to reduce beryllium toxicity in plants: A review

Industrialization and inevitable mining has resulted in the release of some metals in environments, which have numerous industrial roles on one hand and also showed environmental toxicity on other hand. Beryllium is one of them, it has been used in number of industries however its excess use or inappropriate disposal of beryllium resulted in high beryllium accumulation in soil and ground water. This subsequently is affecting our environment and more potentially arable crop production. Beryllium has been extensively studied in humans and reported as toxic metal. In plants, only few studies have been documented toxic effects of beryllium in plants. Moreover, plant products (fruits, grains or other plant parts) could be major source of beryllium toxicity in our food chain therefore it is more imperative to understand how plant can be developed more tolerant to beryllium toxicity. In this short mini-review article, we primarily highlighted and speculated different beryllium uptake, translocation and beryllium storage mechanism in plants. This article provides considerable information for people who are working in identifying and developing heavy metal hyper accumulators plants.

Beryllium inhibits apoptosis via mitochondria in beryllium-induced lung disease in the rat

Objective: We aimed to determine whether beryllium toxicity was associated with mitochondria apoptosis pathway in SD rats. Methods: Thirty-two SD rats were given an intratracheal instillation dose of 10 g/l beryllium oxide (0.5 ml per rat). Additional 32 rats were given an intratracheal instillation dose of 0.9% normal saline (0.5 ml per rat). The percentage of apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, the expression level of apoptosis related genes and proteins, including bcl2, Bax and Caspase-3 were detected. Results: The average of percentage of apoptosis, the expression of caspase-3, bax, and cytochrome c were decreased significantly in lung tissues from rats exposed to beryllium oxide compared to normal controls. The expression of bcl2 and ADP were increased significantly at 80 d after exposure. Conclusions: We conclude that inhibition of apoptosis by beryllium oxide involves mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in rat model of beryllium oxide-induced pulmonary disease.

Beryllium in riverine/estuarine sediments from a typical aquaculture wetland, China: Bioavailability and probabilistic ecological risk

Beryllium (Be) is of a significant concern because of its mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. However, reports on presences of Be in sediments from aquaculture areas still remain unknown. This study investigated the total concentration and bioavailability of Be in the surface sediments from Rongjiang River and its estuary in a large-scale aquaculture wetland in Chaoshan metropolis, South China; together with its probabilistic ecological risks posed to aquatic organisms. The total and bioavailable concentrations of Be were in the range of 5.11-8.02 and 0.23-0.33 mg/kg, respectively. Total concentration of Be mainly originated from anthropogenic source and bioavailable Be was <6% of the total concentration of Be. The probabilistic ecological risk assessment based on bioavailable concentration of Be showed that surface sediments of Rongjiang River and its estuary had a low (2.91%) probability of toxic effect to aquatic organisms.

Dispersive solid-phase extraction with tannic acid functionalized graphene adsorbent for the preconcentration of trace beryllium from water and street dust samples

In this study, tannic acid functionalized graphene as an adsorbent was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was used for the first time as an adsorbent for vortex-assisted dispersive solid phase extraction of trace Be(II) from water and street dust samples. The determination of beryllium was made by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The effect of different parameters (pH, contact times, centrifuge rate and time, eluent type and volume, sample volume, and interfering ions) was investigated. The optimum pH was found to be 6. The adsorption and elution contact times were 3 min. The quantitative elution was carried out with 2 mL of 1.5 mol L^-1 HCl. The preconcentration factor, detection limit and precision (as RSD%) of the method were found to be 125, 0.84 ng L^-1, and 2.9%, respectively. The adsorbent showed good selectivity for Be(II) against interfering cations and anions and it was reusable up to 80 cycles. The accuracy of the developed method was confirmed by analyzing certified reference material (TMDA-70 Lake water) and by spiking tap water, wastewater, well water, and street dust samples.

Assessment of personal airborne exposures and surface contamination from x-ray vaporization of beryllium targets at the National Ignition Facility

This article presents air and surface sampling data collected over the first two years since beryllium was introduced as a target material at the National Ignition Facility. Over this time, 101 experiments with beryllium-containing targets were executed. The data provides an assessment of current conditions in the facility and a baseline for future impacts as new, reduced regulatory limits for beryllium are being proposed by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Department of Energy. This study also investigates how beryllium deposits onto exposed surfaces as a result of x-ray vaporization and the effectiveness of simple decontamination measures in reducing the amount of removable beryllium from a surface. Based on 1,961 surface wipe samples collected from entrant components (equipment directly exposed to target debris) and their surrounding work areas during routine reconfiguration activities, only one result was above the beryllium release limit of 0.2 µg/100 cm² and 27 results were above the analytical reporting limit of 0.01 µg/100 cm², for a beryllium detection rate of 1.4%. Surface wipe samples collected from the internal walls of the NIF target chamber, however, showed higher levels of beryllium, with beryllium detected on 73% and 87% of the samples during the first and second target chamber entries (performed annually), respectively, with 23% of the samples above the beryllium release limit during the second target chamber entry. The analysis of a target chamber wall panel exposed during the first 30 beryllium-containing experiments (cumulatively) indicated that 87% of the beryllium contamination remains fixed onto the surface after wet wiping the surface and 92% of the non-fixed contamination was removed by decontaminating the surface using a dry wipe followed by a wet wipe. Personal airborne exposures assessed during access to entrant components and during target chamber entry indicated that airborne beryllium was not present in workers' breathing zones. All the data thus far have shown that beryllium has been effectively managed to prevent exposures to workers during routine and non-routine work.

Optical molecular fluorescence determination of ultra-trace beryllium in occupational and environmental samples using highly alkaline conditions

Exposures to beryllium (Be), even at extremely low levels, can cause severe health effects in a percentage of those exposed; consequently, occupational exposure limits (OELs) promulgated for this element are the lowest established for any element. This work describes the advantages of using highly alkaline dye solutions for determination of Be in occupational hygiene and environmental samples by means of an optical molecular fluorescence technique after sample extraction in 1-3% (w˖w^-1) aqueous ammonium bifluoride (NH₄HF₂). Improved attributes include the ability to further enhance the detection limits of Be in extraction solutions of high acidity with minimal dilution, which is particularly beneficial when NH₄HF₂ solutions of higher concentration are used for extraction of Be from soil samples. Significant improvements in Be method detection limits (MDLs) are obtained at levels many-fold below those reported previously for this methodology. Notably, MDLs for Be of <0.01 ng l^-1 / 0.1 ng per sample have been attained, which are superior to MDLs routinely reported for this element by means of the most widely used ultra-trace elemental measurement technique, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Very low MDLs for Be are essential in consideration of reductions in OELs for this element in workplace air by health organizations and regulatory agencies in the USA and internationally. Applications of enhanced Be measurements to air filter samples, surface wipe samples, soils and newly-designed occupational air sampler inserts are illustrated.

A mortality study of beryllium workers

We aimed at investigating mortality among beryllium‐exposed workers, according to solubility of beryllium and beryllium compounds. We conducted an historical cohort study of 16,115 workers employed during 1925–2008 in 15 facilities, including eight entailing exposure to insoluble beryllium and seven entailing exposure to soluble/mixed beryllium compounds, who were followed up for mortality until 2011. Data were analyzed using indirect standardization and Cox regression modeling. Lung cancer standardized mortality ratio (SMR, national reference rates) was 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94–1.10) in the whole cohort, 0.88 (95% CI: 0.75–1.03) in the insoluble beryllium subcohort, and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.99–1.09) in the soluble/mixed beryllium subcohort. For lung cancer, there was an association with period of hire in soluble/mixed beryllium plants but not in insoluble plants, and, conversely, employment in soluble/mixed plants was associated with increased mortality only among workers hired before 1955. There was no trend with duration of employment. Mortality from chronic beryllium disease increased, in particular, among workers hired before 1955 in soluble/mixed beryllium facilities. There was no increase in lung cancer mortality in the entire cohort and lung cancer mortality was not increased among beryllium workers hired in 1955 or later in soluble/mixed beryllium facilities, or at any time among those employed in insoluble beryllium facilities.

Beryllium nitrate inhibits fibroblast migration to disrupt epimorphic regeneration

Epimorphic regeneration proceeds with or without formation of a blastema, as observed for the limb and skin, respectively. Inhibition of epimorphic regeneration provides a means to interrogate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate it. In this study, we show that exposing amputated limbs to beryllium nitrate disrupts blastema formation and causes severe patterning defects in limb regeneration. In contrast, exposing full-thickness skin wounds to beryllium only causes a delay in skin regeneration. By transplanting full-thickness skin from ubiquitous GFP-expressing axolotls to wild-type hosts, we demonstrate that beryllium inhibits fibroblast migration during limb and skin regeneration in vivo Moreover, we show that beryllium also inhibits cell migration in vitro using axolotl and human fibroblasts. Interestingly, beryllium did not act as an immunostimulatory agent as it does in Anurans and mammals, nor did it affect keratinocyte migration, proliferation or re-epithelialization, suggesting that the effect of beryllium is cell type-specific. While we did not detect an increase in cell death during regeneration in response to beryllium, it did disrupt cell proliferation in mesenchymal cells. Taken together, our data show that normal blastema organogenesis cannot occur without timely infiltration of local fibroblasts and highlights the importance of positional information to instruct pattern formation during regeneration. In contrast, non-blastemal-based skin regeneration can occur despite early inhibition of fibroblast migration and cell proliferation.

Adaptation prevents the extinction of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under toxic beryllium

The current biodiversity crisis represents a historic challenge for natural communities: the environmental rate of change exceeds the population’s adaptation capability. Integrating both ecological and evolutionary responses is necessary to make reliable predictions regarding the loss of biodiversity. The race against extinction from an eco-evolutionary perspective is gaining importance in ecological risk assessment. Here, we performed a classical study of population dynamics—a fluctuation analysis—and evaluated the results from an adaption perspective. Fluctuation analysis, widely used with microorganisms, is an effective empirical procedure to study adaptation under strong selective pressure because it incorporates the factors that influence demographic, genetic and environmental changes. The adaptation of phytoplankton to beryllium (Be) is of interest because human activities are increasing the concentration of Be in freshwater reserves; therefore, predicting the effects of human-induced pollutants is necessary for proper risk assessment. The fluctuation analysis was performed with phytoplankton, specifically, the freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, under acute Be exposure. High doses of Be led to massive microalgae death; however, by conducting a fluctuation analysis experiment, we found that C. reinhardtii was able to adapt to 33 mg/l of Be due to pre-existing genetic variability. The rescuing adapting genotype presented a mutation rate of 9.61 × 10⁻⁶ and a frequency of 10.42 resistant cells per million wild-type cells. The genetic adaptation pathway that was experimentally obtained agreed with the theoretical models of evolutionary rescue (ER). Furthermore, the rescuing genotype presented phenotypic and physiologic differences from the wild-type genotype, was 25% smaller than the Be-resistant genotype and presented a lower fitness and quantum yield performance. The abrupt distinctions between the wild-type and the Be-resistant genotype suggest a pleiotropic effect mediated by an advantageous mutation; however, no sequencing confirmation was performed.

CpG promoter methylation status is not a prognostic indicator of gene expression in beryllium challenge

Individuals exposed to beryllium (Be) may develop Be sensitization (BeS) and progress to chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Recent studies with other metal antigens suggest epigenetic mechanisms may be involved in inflammatory disease processes, including granulomatous lung disorders and that a number of metal cations alter gene methylation. The objective of this study was to determine if Be can exert an epigenetic effect on gene expression by altering methylation in the promoter region of specific genes known to be involved in Be antigen-mediated gene expression. To investigate this objective, three macrophage tumor mouse cell lines known to differentially produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, but not interferon (IFN)-γ, in response to Be antigen were cultured with Be or controls. Following challenges, ELISA were performed to quantify induced TNFα and IFNγ expression. Bisulfate-converted DNA was evaluated by pyrosequencing to quantify CpG methylation within the promoters of TNFα and IFNγ. Be-challenged H36.12J cells expressed higher levels of TNFα compared to either H36.12E cells or P388D.1 cells. However, there were no variations in TNFα promoter CpG methylation levels between cell lines at the six CpG sites tested. H36.12J cell TNFα expression was shown to be metal-specific by the induction of significantly more TNFα when exposed to Be than when exposed to aluminum sulfate, or nickel (II) chloride, but not when exposed to cobalt (II) chloride. However, H36.12J cell methylation levels at the six CpG sites examined in the TNFα promoter did not correlate with cytokine expression differences. Nonetheless, all three cell lines had significantly more promoter methylation at the six CpG sites investigated within the IFNγ promoter (a gene that is not expressed) when compared to the six CpG sites investigated in the TNFα promoter, regardless of treatment condition (p < 1.17 × 10(-9)). These findings suggest that, in this cell system, promoter hypo-methylation may be necessary to allow expression of metal-induced TNFα and that promoter hyper-methylation in the IFNγ promoter may interfere with expression. Also, at the dozen CpG sites investigated in the promoter regions of both genes, beryllium had no impact on promoter methylation status, despite its ability to induce pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

Beryllium in exhaled breath condensate as a biomarker of occupational exposure in a primary aluminum production plant

OBJECTIVE

Low beryllium exposure can induce pulmonary granulomatosis, so called berylliosis. For occupational health monitoring, it is more relevant to assess the internal dose of Be received by the lungs than urinary or atmospheric Be. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a matrix collected non-invasively that derives from the airway lining fluid. EBC beryllium (Be) levels were evaluated as a marker of occupational exposure in a primary aluminum production plant.

METHODS

We collected urine and EBC from controls and workers recently exposed to beryllium in the pot room and the anode repair sectors, and calculated a cumulative beryllium exposure index (CBEI) summing the number of years of employment in each task and multiplying by the estimated average beryllium exposure for the task. Concentrations of beryllium and aluminum were measured in EBC (Be-EBC and Al-EBC) and in urine (Be-U and Al-U) by ICP-MS.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

We have shown that it was possible to measure Be and Al in workers' EBC. Compared with controls and after adjustment for smoking status, levels of Be-EBC and Al-EBC were higher in pot room workers and exposed subjects, respectively. Due to its relationship with CBEI, but not with Be-U, it appears that Be-EBC could be a promising marker of occupational exposure and provide additional toxicokinetic information in occupational health studies.

Occupational and environmental lung disease

Occupational and environmental lung disease remains a major cause of respiratory impairment worldwide. Despite regulations, increasing rates of coal worker's pneumoconiosis and progressive massive fibrosis are being reported in the United States. Dust exposures are occurring in new industries, for instance, silica in hydraulic fracking. Nonoccupational environmental lung disease contributes to major respiratory disease, asthma, and COPD. Knowledge of the imaging patterns of occupational and environmental lung disease is critical in diagnosing patients with occult exposures and managing patients with suspected or known exposures.

Determination of picomolar beryllium levels in seawater with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry following silica-gel preconcentration

A robust and rapid method for the determination of natural levels of beryllium (Be) in seawater was developed to facilitate mapping Be concentrations in the ocean. A solid-phase extraction method using a silica gel column was applied for preconcentration and purification of Be in seawater prior to determination of Be concentrations with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Be was quantitatively adsorbed onto silica gel from solutions with pH values ranging from 6.3 to 9, including natural seawater. The chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid was used to remove other ions in the seawater matrix (Na, Mg, and Ca) that interfere with the ICP-MS analysis. The reproducibility of the method was 3% based on triplicate analyses of natural seawater samples, and the detection limit was 0.4 pmol kg(-1) for 250 mL of seawater, which is sufficient for the analysis of seawater in the open ocean. The method was then used to determine the vertical profile of Be in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, which was found to be a recycled-type profile in which the Be concentration increased with depth from the surface (7.2 pmol kg(-1) at <200 m) to deep water (29.2 pmol kg(-1) from 3500 m to the bottom).

Incorporation of radiometric tracers in peat and implications for estimating accumulation rates

Accurate dating of peat accumulation is essential for quantitatively reconstructing past changes in atmospheric metal deposition and carbon burial. By analyzing fallout radionuclides (210)Pb, (137)Cs, (241)Am, and (7)Be, and total Pb and Hg in 5 cores from two Swedish peatlands we addressed the consequence of estimating accumulation rates due to downwashing of atmospherically supplied elements within peat. The detection of (7)Be down to 18-20 cm for some cores, and the broad vertical distribution of (241)Am without a well-defined peak, suggest some downward transport by percolating rainwater and smearing of atmospherically deposited elements in the uppermost peat layers. Application of the CRS age-depth model leads to unrealistic peat mass accumulation rates (400-600 g m(-2) yr(-1)), and inaccurate estimates of past Pb and Hg deposition rates and trends, based on comparisons to deposition monitoring data (forest moss biomonitoring and wet deposition). After applying a newly proposed IP-CRS model that assumes a potential downward transport of (210)Pb through the uppermost peat layers, recent peat accumulation rates (200-300 g m(-2) yr(-1)) comparable to published values were obtained. Furthermore, the rates and temporal trends in Pb and Hg accumulation correspond more closely to monitoring data, although some off-set is still evident. We suggest that downwashing can be successfully traced using (7)Be, and if this information is incorporated into age-depth models, better calibration of peat records with monitoring data and better quantitative estimates of peat accumulation and past deposition are possible, although more work is needed to characterize how downwashing may vary between seasons or years.

The molecular structure of the borate mineral rhodizite (K, Cs)Al4Be4(B, Be)12O28--a vibrational spectroscopic study

We have studied the borate mineral rhodizite (K, Cs)Al4Be4(B, Be)12O28 using a combination of DEM with EDX and vibrational spectroscopic techniques. The mineral occurs as colorless, gray, yellow to white crystals in the triclinic crystal system. The studied sample is from the Antandrokomby Mine, Sahatany valley, Madagascar. The mineral is prized as a semi-precious jewel. Semi-quantitative chemical composition shows a Al, Ca, borate with minor amounts of K, Mg and Cs. The mineral has a characteristic borate Raman spectrum and bands are assigned to the stretching and bending modes of B, Be and Al. No Raman bands in the OH stretching region were observed.

Raman, infrared and near-infrared spectroscopic characterization of the herderite-hydroxylherderite mineral series

Natural single-crystal specimens of the herderite-hydroxylherderite series from Brazil, with general formula CaBePO4(F,OH), were investigated by electron microprobe, Raman, infrared and near-infrared spectroscopies. The minerals occur as secondary products in granitic pegmatites. Herderite and hydroxylherderite minerals show extensive solid solution formation. The Raman spectra of hydroxylherderite are characterized by bands at around 985 and 998 cm(-1), assigned to ν1 symmetric stretching mode of the HOPO3(3-) and PO4(3-) units. Raman bands at around 1085, 1128 and 1138 cm(-1) are attributed to both the HOP and PO antisymmetric stretching vibrations. The set of Raman bands observed at 563, 568, 577, 598, 616 and 633 cm(-1) are assigned to the ν4 out of plane bending modes of the PO4 and H2PO4 units. The OH Raman stretching vibrations of hydroxylherderite were observed ranging from 3626 cm(-1) to 3609 cm(-1). The infrared stretching vibrations of hydroxylherderites were observed between 3606 cm(-1) and 3599 cm(-1). By using a Libowitzky type function, hydrogen bond distances based upon the OH stretching bands were calculated. Characteristic NIR bands at around 6961 and 7054 cm(-1) were assigned to the first overtone of the fundamental, whilst NIR bands at 10,194 and 10,329 cm(-1) are assigned to the second overtone of the fundamental OH stretching vibration. Insight into the structure of the herderite-hydroxylherderite series is assessed by vibrational spectroscopy.

Effects of beryllium on human serum immunoglobulin and lymphocyte subpopulation

To investigate the effects of short-term exposure of beryllium on the human immune system, the proportion of T-lymphocytes such as CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD95, and NK cells, andthe proportion of B cells and TNFα level in peripheral blood and immunoglobulins in the serum of 43 exposed workers and 34 healthy control subjects were studied. External exposure to beryllium was measured by atomic absorption spectrometer as recommended by the NIOSH analytical method 7300. T lymphocyte subpopulation analysis was carried out with flow cytometer. The working duration of exposed workers was less than 3 months and the mean ambient beryllium level was 3.4 μg/m(3), 112.3 μg/m(3), and 2.3 μg/m(3) in molding (furnace), deforming (grinding), and sorting processes, respectively (cited from Kim et al., 2008). However, ambient beryllium level after process change was non-detectable (< 0.1 μg/m(3)). The number of T lymphocytes and the amount of immunoglobulins in the beryllium-exposed workers and control subjects were not significantly different, except for the total number of lymphocytes and CD95 (APO1/FAS). The total number of lymphocytes was higher in the beryllium-exposed individuals than in the healthy control subjects. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed lymphocytes to be affected by beryllium exposure (odd ratio = 7.293; p < 0.001). These results show that short-term exposure to beryllium does not induce immune dysfunction but is probably associated with lymphocytes proliferation.

The uses and adverse effects of beryllium on health

CONTEXT

This review describes the health effects of beryllium exposure in the workplace and the environment.

AIM

To collate information on the consequences of occupational and environmental exposure to beryllium on physiological function and well being.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The criteria used in the current review for selecting articles were adopted from proposed criteria in The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Articles were classified based on acute and chronic exposure and toxicity of beryllium.

RESULTS

The proportions of utilized and nonutilized articles were tabulated. Years 2001-10 gave the greatest match (45.9%) for methodological parameters, followed by 27.71% for 1991-2000. Years 1971-80 and 1981-90 were not significantly different in the information published and available whereas years 1951-1960 showed a lack of suitable articles. Some articles were published in sources unobtainable through requests at the British Library, and some had no impact factor and were excluded.

CONCLUSION

Beryllium has some useful but undoubtedly harmful effects on health and well-being. Measures need to be taken to prevent hazardous exposure to this element, making its biological monitoring in the workplace essential.

The influence of beryllium on cell survival rates in theIn-vitro culture system, on intracellular DNA synthesis and on SRBC-IgM antibody production responses

Immunocytotoxicity of beryllium (Be) was evaluated by studying cell viability, intracellular DNA synthesis and SRBC-IgM response in an in-vitro culture system using non-sensitized spleen cells of a C57BL mouse. Be addition showed a suppressive effect on cell viability, an enhancing effect on DNA synthesis and on IgM antibody production. The suppressive effect on cell viability manifested itself markedly as the concentration of Be was increased or the culture time was prolonged. The DNA synthesis-enhancing effect was noted at a relatively low concentration of Be (not more than 10μM). The enhancing effect on the IgM response was related to Be concentration at not more than 20μM. The experimental results mentioned above speculate that the cytotoxicity of Be shows a conflicting pattern of enhancement or suppression according to the concentration used and that immunologically it has a modulating effect or an activating effect on the immunocompetent cells.