How is beryllium used today?
Beryllium is used as an alloying agent in producing beryllium copper, which is extensively used for springs, electrical contacts, spot-welding electrodes, and non-sparking tools. It is applied as a structural material for high-speed aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, and communication satellites.
Where can you find beryllium in everyday life?
Beryllium is most often found in the minerals beryl and bertrandite. It is found in the Earth’s crust and mostly in igneous (volcanic) rocks. Most of the world’s beryllium is mined and extracted in the United States and Russia with the state of Utah supplying nearly two-thirds of the world’s beryllium production.
Is beryllium harmful to humans?
Beryllium is not an element that is crucial for humans; in fact it is one of the most toxic chemicals we know. It is a metal that can be very harmful when humans breathe it in, because it can damage the lungs and cause pneumonia.
Is beryllium toxic to touch?
* Beryllium Oxide is a CARCINOGEN–HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. * Contact can cause eye irritation, redness, itching and burning. * Beryllium Oxide can irritate and burn the skin. Higher exposure may cause skin ulcers to develop.
What happens if you touch beryllium?
Direct contact with beryllium fumes or dusts may injure the exposed areas of the body, such as the eyes or the skin. Skin sensitization may also occur. Beryllium is also a known cancer causing substance, with higher levels of lung cancer being reported.
Is beryllium fragile?
Beryllium is a steel-gray metal that is quite brittle at room temperature, and its chemical properties somewhat resemble those of aluminum.
How safe is beryllium?
Hazard Summary Inhaling beryllium dust or fumes may cause a serious illness in some people. This illness is chronic beryllium disease, an irreversible and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs. Beryllium exposure may also result in lung cancer.
How do you test for beryllium?
Diagnosis of Beryllium Disease Definitive diagnosis is made by doing a test in which a tube, called a bronchoscope, is inserted into the lungs to obtain pieces of lung tissue and cells to test for an allergic reaction to beryllium.
Where do you get exposed to beryllium?
While the highest exposures occur in the workplace, family members of workers who work with beryllium also have potential exposure from contaminated work clothing and vehicles.