Beryllium Concentrations in Ambient Air and Its Source Identification

Beryllium concentrations in atmospheric particulate and soil samples in and around a Beryllium Processing Facility (BPF) have been measured. The mean air concentration level of beryllium in and around the fence line of the BPF is 0.48 ± 0.43 ng m^-3 (n = 397) and is mostly influenced by diurnaland seasonal changes. The observed air concentration levelswere well below the prescribed ambient air quality (AAQ)standard of 10 ng m^-3. The soil concentration levels ofberyllium in the study area were found to be in the range of 1.42–2.75 g g^-1. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD)of beryllium aerosols in ambient air was found to be 6.9 m.Source identification using the Enrichment Factor (EF) approachindicates soil as the predominant contributory source for air concentrations at the site.