Beryllium: an easily scavenged metal ion in the environment.

This study was specifically aimed to determine the levels of beryllium in environmental samples near the vicinity of the beryllium metal plant (BMP). Air particulate samples collected at the BMP site, in the non-monsoon and monsoon seasons, showed an average beryllium concentration of 0.3 and 0.1 ng m(-3) respectively, where as rain water samples showed the beryllium values in the range of 0.01-0.2 ng ml(-1). The suspended particulate matter (dust load) at the site studied was 570 and 250 microg m(-3) in the non-monsoon and monsoon seasons respectively. The results obtained show that, in the environment, 80% of the total beryllium present is removed by rain.

Immobilisation of beryllium in solid waste (red-mud) by fixation and vitrification.

The objective of this study was to obtain information on the immobilization of beryllium (Be) in solid waste generated in the extraction process of beryllium from its ore, Beryl. This solid waste, termed red-mud, contains oxides of iron, aluminium, calcium, magnesium and beryllium. The red-mud waste contains beryllium at levels above the permissible limit, which prevents its disposal as solid waste. The total beryllium content in the red-mud analysed showed value ranging from 0.39 to 0.59% Be The studies showed that 50% of the total beryllium in red-mud can be extracted by water by repeated leaching over a period of 45 days. The cement mix, casting into cement blocks, was subjected to leachability studies over a period of 105 days and immobilization factor (IF factor) was determined. These IF values, of the order of 102, were compared with those obtained by performing leachability study on vitrified red-mud masses produced at different temperature conditions. Direct heating of the red-mud gave the gray coloured, non-transparent vitreous mass (as 'bad glass') showed effective immobilisation factor for beryllium in red-mud of the order of 10(4).