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/ Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/ Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/ Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585 Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/ Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/

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 ParticipationSensitizedCBD Y-122, ORNL26050 RFETS8, KCP1,099/8316n/a IAAP2986n/a Pantex58111n/a LLNL50011n/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/ Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/ Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/ Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585 Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/ Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/