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Document ID (ISN)55906
CIS number 91-928
ISBN(s) 92-4-157106-3
Year 1990
Convention or series no. Environmental Health Criteria 106
Author(s)
International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
Title Beryllium
Bibliographic information World Health Organization, Distribution and Sales Service, 1211 Genève 27, Switzerland, 1990. 210p. Bibl. Price: CHF 23.00; CHF 16.10 (for developing countries).
Abstract Data from several epidemiological studies lead to the conclusion that beryllium is the most likely cause of excess lung cancer observed in exposed workers. Cases of acute beryllium disease, resulting in nasopharyngitis, bronchitis and severe chemical pneumonitis, have drastically decreased, and today may only occur as a consequence of failures in control measures. Chronic beryllium disease differs from the acute form in having a latent period of several weeks to more than 20yrs; main effects affect the lung. Direct contact with soluble beryllium compounds causes contact dermatitis and possibly conjunctivitis. General population exposure is mainly confined to low levels of airborne beryllium from the combustion of fossil fuels. Detailed summaries in French and Spanish.
Descriptors (primary) IPCS; WHO; environmental pollution; toxicology; hazard evaluation; beryllium
Descriptors (secondary) toxic effects; literature survey; ILO; UNEP; bronchitis; criteria document; lung cancer; eczema; berylliosis; conjunctivitis; chemical pneumonitis
Document type E - Books, reports, proceedings
Subject(s) Toxic and dangerous substances
Broad subject area(s) Chemical safety
Browse category(ies) Risk evaluation
Inorganic substances
Environmental pollution