Seasonal and inter-annual variation of Beryllium-7 deposition in birch-tree leaves and grass in the northeast upland area of the Czech Republic

The activity concentrations of Beryllium-7 (⁷Be), a naturally occurring radioisotope produced in the atmosphere, were measured in leaves of birch-trees, above-ground parts of grass, soil and rainwater in the mountain massive Kralicky Sneznik (the northeast of the Czech Republic, altitude about 750 m) in the years of 2005, 2006 and 2007. Dried and ground samples of the plants and soils, and water samples from wet deposition were used to determine the ⁷Be content using a semiconductor gamma spectrometer. The ⁷Be values ranged from 147.0 to 279.6 Bq kg⁻¹, from 48.7 to 740.8 Bq kg⁻¹, from 2.1 to 8.7 Bq kg⁻¹, and from 0.6 to 1.9 Bq kg⁻¹ in birch-tree leaves, grass samples, soils, and rainwater, respectively. Insignificant inter-annual variations but significant increase in the ⁷Be activity concentrations during the spring and summer months were observed in birch-tree leaves and grass samples. The seasonal variation of the ⁷Be concentrations in grass samples correlated (R² = 0.4663 and 0.6489) with precipitation. No similar correlation was found for ⁷Be in birch-tree leaves. Beryllium-7 content in birch-tree leaves and in aerial parts of grass was mainly caused by direct transport of ⁷Be from wet deposition into aerial parts of the observed plants.     

Biochemical properties of beryllium potentially relevant to its carcinogenicity†

The carcinogenicity of beryllium to several animal species is well established and evidence exists which strongly suggests that this is the case in human exposure. In this review several biochemical properties of the metallocarcinogen are considered including, the causation of cell transformation, and infidelity of DNA synthesis, inhibition of cell division and enzyme induction, and interference with regulatory mechanisms controlling gene expression. These effects are discussed in relation to beryllium chemistry, cellular accumulation mechanisms and distribution to subcellular organdies and molecular targets. It is suggested that the ultimate location and interactions of the metal ion in cell nuclei and its selective inhibition of certain protein phosphorylation reactions in particular are the biochemical effects potentially most relevant to induction of beryllium carcinogenesis.     

石墨炉原子吸收法测定水和废水中痕量铍的方法评价

组织全国六个实验室对石墨炉原子吸收法测定水和废水中的铍进行方法验证。分析了统一标准样品、环境地面水和实验废水。以协作试验所得数据评价本方法的灵敏度、精密度、准确度和适用性。     

石墨炉原子吸收分光光度法测地面水中的铍

介绍了用石墨炉原子吸收分光光度计测定地面水中的铍的方法的建立     

Background levels of soil beryllium in several countries

Beryllium and aluminium contents in uncontaminated soils from six countries are reported. The means and ranges of beryllium in the surface soils were as follows: 1.43(0.20–5.50)g g^–1 in Thailand (n=28), 0.7 (0.31–1.03) g g^–1 in Indonesia (n=12), 0.99(0.82–1.32) g g^–1 in New Zealand (n=3), 0.58(0.08-1.68)g g^–1 in Brazil (n=16), 3.52(2.49–4.97)g g^–1 in the former Yugoslavia (n=10), and 1.56(1.01–2.73) g g^–1 in the former USSR (n=8). The mean and range of beryllium contents of the surface soils in Japan (1.17(0.27–1.95)g g^–1 n=27) are situated within the values of the soils from these countries except for the Yugoslav soils derived from limestones. The mean of the mean beryllium contents of the surface soils in all these countries is 1.42 g g^–1 which will be used as a tentative average content of beryllium in uncontaminated surface soils, except for the soils derived from parent materials high in beryllium content. The beryllium contents of the subsoils were higher than those of the surface soils in New Zealand and Yugoslavia as is the case with Japan. The correlation coefficient between the contents of beryllium and aluminium in all the soil samples (n=113) including surface soils and subsoils was 0.505 (p < 0.001).     

Clinical and analytical follow‐up of 25 persons exposed accidentally to beryllium†

An accidental exposition of 25 persons to beryllium dust was used to follow up trace analytical and clinical parameters over a period of 10 months. Although no exposed person shows any symptoms of an acute beryllium intoxication, up to 5‐fold increased beryllium concentrations could be analysed in serum samples about 10 hours after exposition. The beryllium clearance shows a biological half time in the range of 2 to 8 weeks. The beryllium determination in the nanogram range was carried out using a combined method by flameless a.a.s. with a detection limit of 0.6 ppb Be and a relative standard deviation from 20 to 4% in relation to the concentration range of beryllium measurement.

Beryllium analyses are completed by thorax X‐ray, spirometry, y‐globulins and liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT), which have shown no pathological values. Because it is known for beryllium to sensitize the cellular immune response, neopterin measurement was used to determine the activity of the immune system. Neopterin, a pteridine synthesized by activated macrophages after stimulation by gamma‐interferon derived from sensitized T‐lymphocytes, was determined in urine samples by HPLC combined with an fluorescence detector. Only in two cases a slight increase of neopterin has been found. As a result of this study it can be summarized, that a short‐time exposure to beryllium (10–20 h), which results in a increase of beryllium in serum to the fivefold normal beryllium level, does not initiate any symptoms of an acute beryllium intoxication. The exposed persons are controlled in future to evaluate the further course.     

微波消解石墨炉原子吸收法测定土壤和沉积物中的铍

以氯化钯为基体改进剂，采用微波消解石墨炉原子吸收法测定土壤和沉积物中的铍，优化了微波消解条件，考察了共存元素对测定的干扰。方法在0μg／L～4．00μg／L范围内线性良好，检出限为0．01μg／g（以取样质量0．2000g、定容体积50mL计），标准样品平行测定的RSD为3．5％～6．7％，实际样品的加标回收率为84．0％-113％。     

石墨炉原子吸收法测定空气中的铍及其化合物

采用石墨炉原子吸收法测定铍及其化合物，用微孔滤膜采集空气样品，经硝酸／高氯酸混合液消解，以硝酸镁为基体改进剂。方法线性范围为0．100μg／L～3．00μg／L，最低检出质量浓度为1．7×10^-5mg／m3（按采样体积75L计），3个加标质量水平的相对标准偏差为3．8％～4．5％，回收率为93％～102％。     

分光光度法测定水中铍的最佳条件选择

本文对分光光度法测定水中铍的最佳测定条件进行了研究和探讨。在方法对比实验的基础上,选择了最适宜的方法,并进行了各种条件实验,对某些实验条件进行了改进。特别是对阴离子的干扰,提出了有效的消除方法。改进后的实验方法,显色稳定,重现性好,灵敏度高,摩尔吸光系数达１．０１×１０５Ｌ／ｃｍ·ｍｏｌ。     

石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定农产品中痕量铍

采用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定农产品中痕量铍，比较了微波消解和电热板消解两种前处理方法，选择了基体改良剂。方法在0μg／L—4.00μg／L范围内线性良好，微波消解法和电热板消解法的检出限分别为0.002mg／kg和0.0002mg／kg，标样平行测定的RSD为2.4％—4.1％，农产品加标回收率为80.0％—95.0％。