Beryllium and its inorganic compounds – Addendum: Re-evaluation of the BAR
Assessment Values in Biological Material – Translation of the German Version from 2024
Julia Hiller1Wobbeke Weistenhöfer1
Hans Drexler1 (Head of the working group “Assessment Values in Biological Material” of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
Andrea Hartwig2 (Chair of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
MAK Commission3
1 Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Henkestraße 9–11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
2 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
3 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
The German Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area (MAK Commission) summarised and re-evaluated the data for beryllium and its inorganic compounds regarding the recommended sampling times for biomonitoring, the derivation of exposure equivalents for carcinogenic substances (EKA) and the biological reference value (BAR) in urine. Only one new study reports data for beryllium in air and urine, but for the same beryllium concentration in air, the corresponding concentration in urine was lower than that given in two older publications. Considering the inconsistent data and questions on the validity of older analytical methods, the data base is not sufficient to derive EKA. The BAR was re-evaluated and a BAR of 0.02 µg/l urine was established based on the data for background exposure. Sampling should be conducted after a steady state has been reached. The data base is not sufficient for the evaluation of a BAR in blood.
