201418 Beryllium sensitization associated with low exposure in the manufacture of nuclear weapons

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Marek. Mikulski, MD, MPH , Occupational Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Valentina Clottey, MB ChB, MPH , Occupational Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Nicholas, A. Hoeger , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Christina, J. Nichols , Occupational Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Jill K. Welch, MPH , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Marta Tryzna, MA , College of Liberal Arts, Linguistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Leda Lozier , Occupational Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Laurence Fuortes, MD, MS , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
The nuclear weapons industry has long been known as a source of low beryllium exposure. We screened 1,004 former AEC nuclear weapons workers from the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Burlington, IA for sensitization to Beryllium.

The screenings were part of the Department of Energy (DoE) Former Worker Program established in 1996 to identify hazardous exposures in atomic weapons production, and provide medical screenings to detect health effects from those exposures.

Twenty three (2.3%) workers were found sensitized to beryllium by two abnormal or one abnormal and one borderline Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test. We found no statistically significant association with duration of employment on site or smoking status but the exposure intensity to beryllium suggested a dose response trend (3.9% for directly exposed vs. 2.4% for indirect and 1.8% for exposure not likely, Chi square test p=0.49). The prevalence of sensitization was comparable or higher than in other DoE sites with the exception of production, research and development machinists.

These results confirm the need to screen the low exposed populations for effects of exposure to Beryllium.

Learning Objectives:
Discuss results of screening for sensitization to beryllium in a population of former nuclear weapons workers Compare the prevalence of sensitization to beryllium in low exposed populations

Keywords: Occupational Health, Occupational Exposure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: graduated with MD (Poland) residency in occupational medicine (Poland), and MPH (US, Iowa) in Occupational Health. Have worked in research on health effects of nuclear weapons production for the last 7 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.