Argonne Lab Workers Show Signs of Lung Disease

February 25‚ 2002 — Seven current and former workers at Argonne National Laboratory have blood abnormalities indicating exposure and sensitivity to beryllium. Two other lab employees who worked in nuclear weapons development have symptoms of chronic beryllium disease or berylliosis‚ a painful scarring of the lungs. The nine workers represent the first known beryllium cases at the Laboratory‚ a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility operated by the University of Chicago (Los Angeles Times‚ February 13‚ 2002).

The beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) was used to screen the Argonne workers. The medical test of choice for diagnosing beryllium-related problems‚ the BeLPT examines how disease—fighting cells known as lymphocytes react to beryllium. If the lymphocytes react strongly‚ then the BeLPT is called abnormal and indicates “beryllium sensitization.” This is an allergic reaction that is a precursor to the development of chronic beryllium disease.

DOE Screening Program Unable to Locate All Former Employees

Forty—eight current Argonne workers were tested for beryllium—related illnesses through a DOE medical screening program‚ but government officials have been unable to locate hundreds more who once worked at the facility. Argonne reported that a total of about 1,775 workers may have been exposed to beryllium (Chicago Tribune‚ February 12‚ 2002).

Argonne ran a beryllium machine shop from the 1950’s until 1980. It has also used beryllium in X-ray machine windows and in neutron beam experiments to study the properties of materials. During World War II‚ the University of Chicago operated Site B‚ a laboratory that used beryllium in the construction of the atomic bomb. This wartime research lab became part of Argonne when it first opened in 1946.