Lab develops colorful beryllium detection technology

Contact: Shelley Thompson, shelley@lanl.gov, (505) 665-7778

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Aug. 30, 2001 -- Detecting beryllium on contaminated surfaces may become as simple as testing the acidity of a swimming pool, thanks to scientists at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Los Alamos scientists have developed a colorimetric analysis -- comparison of a color change to known standards, similar to the common litmus test for measuring the pH of a water solution -- for real-time detection of beryllium contamination on surfaces. Researcher Tammy Taylor today presented details of the detection method at the 222nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Chicago. Beryllium is widely used in industry and in nuclear weapons applications because of its unique materials properties.

Breathing fine particulate beryllium is a health hazard to workers. Inhaled beryllium triggers an autoimmune response in an estimated 1 to 6 percent of exposed individuals that can result in Chronic Beryllium Disease, a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease. Currently there is no cure for CBD. Consequently, individuals working with beryllium must minimize exposure and establish rigorous housekeeping practices.

Because of its use in nuclear weapons and its growing application in industry, Los Alamos researchers Taylor and Nan Sauer became interested in studying the chemical and environmental behavior of beryllium. Taylor and Sauer realized in order to do their research efficiently and with the highest degree of safety they needed to develop a rapid test to assess beryllium contamination.

"When we began working with beryllium in our labs, we wanted to take every safety precaution because of the risks associated with beryllium work," said Taylor, who developed the beryllium swipe technique. "We wanted to develop a quick test to say whether our area was clean and it was safe to perform experiments. The beryllium swipe technique will permit beryllium workers to monitor surfaces in their work environment thoroughly on a regular basis at minimal expense and without delays or excessive lost work time due to waiting for test results."

The beryllium detection technique involves wiping the surfaces of the lab with a prepared pad and then adding a solution. If the pad turns blue, beryllium is present; if it remains orange, then the surface is free of significant contamination. Keeping workplace surfaces clean helps minimize the potential for worker exposure.

The present method for detecting beryllium in the workplace is costly and time consuming. It may take days or weeks to obtain results of laboratory analysis. In many cases work cannot be performed until results come back indicating beryllium levels are below the acceptable surface contamination limit.

Taylor's beryllium colorimetric test is not meant to replace the existing method that can quantify the amount of beryllium on a surface, but to allow a worker to get a quick, qualitative result indicating the effectiveness of housekeeping efforts and contamination control. This method also will cut down on the number of samples sent for costly quantitative analysis.

Gary Whitney, an industrial hygienist at Los Alamos who routinely conducts beryllium monitoring, said, "This test has the potential to give us preliminary information very quickly and at low cost. We are in the process of seeing if this could be developed into a more quantitative method and not just a quick screening method. I have conducted some preliminary side-by-side tests using Taylor's technique and the quantitative analytical technique. The initial results look promising."

Preparing the pads and performing the detection test for beryllium are simple tasks. The pads are soaked in two solutions, dried and then used to wipe the potentially contaminated surface. After wiping, the pad is treated with another solution and formation of a blue color indicates beryllium. The whole process takes less than one hour and the materials for each test cost less than a dollar.

"We've conducted this test with a variety of potential interferences like cutting fluids (used in machining metals), mineral oil, common household cleansers and dust to see if they interact with the beryllium and give a false negative," said Taylor. "We've also done the test with other metals that may be present in the machine shops or at beryllium contaminated sites to make sure that the pads don't register false positives."

The beryllium colorimetric test developed by Los Alamos builds upon an earlier beryllium measuring technique developed by Russian scientists.

Beryllium's unique properties make the metal an ideal choice for many industrial applications. It is lighter than aluminum, stiffer than steel, remains solid at high temperatures and can absorb large amounts of heat. Beryllium is used in the aerospace, computer, electronic and nuclear industries.

Department of Energy rules on beryllium have established surface contamination limits for beryllium work areas and equipment. The detection technique developed by Taylor is sensitive enough to allow detection of beryllium on surfaces within established limits. But the technique has applications in any facility involved in beryllium work where surface contamination and potential worker exposure is possible.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Editor's Note: Photo available at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/pa/News/colorimetric.jpg

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