Beryllium Workers Surveillance Program - Update

W. G. Tankersley, D. Cragle, S. Wells

Oak Ridge Associated Universities,

Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Presented at

American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition

New Orleans, LA

June 6, 2001

Acknowledgements

• ORAU staff – Oak Ridge, TN and Arvada,

Colorado

• DOE overseers

• DOE contractors staff

• Participants

Contacts

• Donna Cragle – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-2866

• Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-3141

• Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/423-9585

• Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585

• Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/903-7582

• Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/903-7373

Beryllium Use

• Major

– Electrical

– Electronics

– Aerospace

– Nuclear

• Other

– Recreational equipment

– High performance mechanical parts

Beryllium Hazards

• Acute

– Dermatitis

– Dermal granulomas

– Bronchitis

– Pneumonitis

• Chronic

– Chronic beryllium disease

Chronic Beryllium Disease

• Slow onset

• Effects respiratory system chiefly – May effect

other organs such as liver and spleen

• Formation of granulomas or microgranulomas

• Progressive – can be extremely debilitative

• May be associated with cancer

History of Project

• First cases at Rocky Flats – ~1985

• Y-12 Beryllium Workers Study

– Research Phase – Targeted hands on workers

– Surveillance Phase – included others wanting to be

tested

• Active workers

• Retired workers

• Expansion to other sites – sensitized persons always

discovered

Exposure Assessment

• General air sampling

• Personal sampling

• Length of employment

• Department

• Job title

• Particle size

• BeLPT may be used

Description of Clinics

• Dissemination of information

• Collection of participant data

– Work history

– General health history

– Demographic information

– Respiratory symptoms

• Chest radiograph if indicated

• Collection of blood for LPT

Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test

• Previously designated lymphocyte

transformation test

• Basis – measure enhanced lymphocyte

cell division in presence of antigen (Be)

via radionuclide incorporation

• Methodology

• Interpretation

BeLPT Methodology

• Lymphocytes separated via density gradient

centrifugation

• Cultured in three concentrations BeSO4, two

different periods (with non-stimulated controls)

• Pulsed with tritiated thymidine last 24 hours

• Increased proliferation measured by radioactivity

uptake

BeLPT Interpretation

• Normal – no increased proliferation

• Borderline – abnormal proliferation in single test

or not at established significant level

• Abnormal – statistically increased proliferative

response in two sequential tests

Results

Participation Sensitized CBD

Y-12 2,885 68 36

ORNL 260 5 0

RFETS 8,395 183 118

KCP 1,099/83 16 n/a

IAAP 298 6 n/a

Pantex 581 11 n/a

LLNL 500 11 n/a

Expanded Surveillance Program

• Y-12 and Rocky Flats (3 year repeat test phase)

• Other sites in initial (first round) testing

– ORNL – Oak Ridge, TN

– IAAP – Burlington, IA

– Kansas City Plant – Kansas, KS

– Pantex – Amarillo, TX

– LLNL, CA

Contacts

• Donna Cragle – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-2866

• Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-3141

• Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/423-9585

• Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585

• Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/903-7582

• Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/903-7373