# How dangerous is beryllium, really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370 "2012-10-30T22:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/21 "2012-10-31T05:43:48Z")
I’ve seen a piece of magnesium ignite when a joker pressed it against a bench grinder. It was a wheel truck for a skateboard. I like to collect metals but in functional form, not just bars or grains. So aside from titanium-handled knives, I keep gold and silver chains. Tungsten sounds nice but my choices are just rings and dart sets. I have nightmares about putting on a tungsten ring that gets too tight. How does one cut it out, with a diamond file? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/22 "2012-10-31T06:14:24Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > I have nightmares about putting on a tungsten ring that gets too tight. How does one cut it out, with a diamond file? Most “tungsten” rings are actually tungsten carbide, which is strong but very brittle (I use tungsten carbide end mills when machining, and have broken pieces off of them with a 4-inch drop onto a hard surface). At any rate, see [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poM423pewRE) for an easy removal technique. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/23 "2012-10-31T06:17:33Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Neat! Looks somewhat expensive, but not much more so than tungsten. Still, gotta fill out some of the more common elements first. I have a huge slug of magnesium that I want to machine down, but the machine shop I go to won’t let me… grrrr. It’s really not as dangerous as it’s made out to be. I spent eight hours today milling magnesium parts on a CNC today. You have to get it to about 1200 degrees F before it ignites. It’s perfectly safe to machine. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/24 "2012-10-31T06:20:14Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > I’ve seen a piece of magnesium ignite when a joker pressed it against a bench grinder. It was a wheel truck for a skateboard. Yeah, I _would_ say sufficient instructions for magnesium are “don’t be stupid”; then again, people can be astonishingly stupid. Anyone who has used a bench grinder before knows they produce droplets of molten metal. But except in very special cases, metal lathes and milling machines don’t get anywhere close to producing those temperatures–if they are, you’re usually doing something wrong. I understand the policy, but it’s clearly aimed at the bottom 5%. I suppose everyone has to live with the ban so that 5% doesn’t burn down the shop. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/25 "2012-10-31T06:23:10Z")
> [@DJ\_Motorbike](#): > > I spent eight hours today milling magnesium parts on a CNC today. You have to get it to about 1200 degrees F before it ignites. It’s perfectly safe to machine. That’s definitely the impression I get. But it’s a “public” shop and while we’ve signed enough disclaimers that they don’t care (much) if we injure ourselves, their insurance company certainly cares if someone burns down the shop. So none of that. Or beryllium either, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/26 "2012-10-31T11:00:55Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > I hope to get a similar piece of osmium. Just please be careful of the tetroxide. I don’t know if that forms quickly enough to be a hazard, or just enough to be stinky. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/27 "2012-10-31T12:57:17Z")
Here is something I was told by my chemistry lecturer in college. If you cut yourself with a piece of beryllium (the example he gave was a beryllium watch spring), the wound will not heal (or will be very slow to heal). If he explained the reason for this, I don’t remember it (it’s more than 20 years ago). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/28 "2012-10-31T13:00:56Z")
Beryllium dust, as noted, is a serious issue, to the point where beryllium is, I understand, machined in a glove box. It’s not only the pure metal – Berylliujm Oxide, if powdered, is similarly dangerous, as is glass based on beryllium oxide. (So, of course, I once found a really good use for powdered beryllium oxide glass. Which I never tried out.) I know that beryllium on a large piece isn’t a problem, but I’d still worry about any metal or oxide dust, and wouldn’t want to handle it. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/29 "2012-10-31T13:18:41Z")
There was an old story floating around in the amateur optics making community back in the day. An optician was given a mirror made out of Be to work on. IIRC he wasn’t grinding it, just polishing it. And it killed him. Now grinding a mirror can release a fair quanty of timy but not supper tiny particles. But then again they would be in a water slurry so should be fairly contained. It certainly would not be anything like hitting it with a belt grinder. Polishing (or the final stage figuring) removes a very small amount of material and again I would think most of the stuff would stay contained in the water slurry. But apparently not or it doesn’t take much of the stuff to do you in. That story scared me enough that any work I would ever do with Be would be done quite carefully. I’d like to make a kayak or canoe paddle out the stuff. Would be amazingly lite. Recall a story about a bike frame made out of the stuff. Cost like 30K. It got stolen. Wonder if the thief realized it wasnt just one of those “cheap” 3k or so models? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/30 "2012-10-31T14:12:39Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Are you sure these were real MSDSs? They sound like jokes to me, especially the water one. Not that I haven’t seen similarly stupid stuff on various warning labels–but that’s not an MSDS. Here’s [real MSDS for water](http://www.idtdna.com/pages/docs/msds/idt_004_msds.pdf) from IDT, full of ridiculous warnings: > [@](#): > > 1. Hazard Identification > WARNING!! THIS PRODUCT MAY BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED, INHALED OR ABSORBED IN EXCESS THROUGH THE SKIN. MAY CAUSE IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES, AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. Toxicological Properties have not been thoroughly investigated. > … > 2. First Aid Measures > Inhalation: > Remove to fresh air. Get medical attention for any breathing difficulties. > Ingestion: > Induce vomiting and call for medical help. If large amounts were swallowed, seek medical advice. > Skin Contact: > Generally this product does not irritate the skin. Seek medical advice if exposed areas continue to be irritated. > Eye Contact: > Irrigate eyes for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical advice if exposed areas continue to be irritated > … > Extreme cold can change composition from a liquid to a slick solid. Extreme depths can cause drowning. In contrast, [this water MSDS](http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MSDS/MSDS/DisplayMSDSPage.do?country=US&language=en&productNumber=320072&brand=SIAL&PageToGoToURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sigmaaldrich.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fsial%2F320072%3Flang%3Den) from Sigma is mostly sensible: > [@](#): > > 1. FIRST AID MEASURES > If inhaled > If not breathing give artificial respiration > … > Hand protection > Handle with gloves. Gloves must be inspected prior to use. Use proper glove removal technique (without touching > glove’s outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product. I’m guessing that Sigma puts more effort into making an appropriate MSDS, since they are in the business of selling nearly every commercially available chemical. IDT, in contrast, only sells a a handful of non-hazardous reagents (their main business is DNA synthesis). So they probably just copied some standard boilerplate for all eleven of their MSDSs. And to be fair, it’s a good idea to rinse your eyes after any sort of chemical exposure. NaCl to the eye, for example, wouldn’t cause any major damage but it would sting like a motherfucker. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/31 "2012-10-31T14:26:20Z")
I am somewhat familiar with MSDSs and find this sentence to be rather difficult to imagine being part of a warning about ANY hazardous material. > [@](#): > > Extreme depths can cause drowning. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/32 "2012-10-31T14:27:40Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Out of curiosity, what is your favorite metal? A must for any metals collection is a bismuth crystal. I’m on my phone at the moment but if you have never seen one, it is worth searching for. Quite affordable on ebay, unlike, say, osmium and far more attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/33 "2012-10-31T14:29:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Eye Contact: > Irrigate eyes for at least 15 minutes. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/34 "2012-10-31T20:09:37Z")
Heh - I was thinking the same thing! “With what?” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/35 "2012-10-31T20:39:01Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > Here’s [real MSDS for water](http://www.idtdna.com/pages/docs/msds/idt_004_msds.pdf) from IDT, full of ridiculous warnings: I take it you missed this line?: _MSDS Number: IDT004—Effective 2/12/04 Revised 4/1/06_ ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/36 "2012-10-31T21:43:22Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I take it you missed this line?: > _MSDS Number: IDT004—Effective 2/12/04 Revised 4/1/06_ I did miss that, but I’m not sure how it’s relevant. Why does it matter that their MSDS was revised six years ago? A MSDS doesn’t expire as far as I know, and it’s still what they have posted on their website (you can see [all eleven here](http://www.idtdna.com/pages/support/technical-vault/reading-room/msds)) > [@Snickers](#): > > Heh - I was thinking the same thing! “With what?” Obviously you want to rinse out the Dangerous Chemical High Purity Water with _much safer_ tap water that’s been sitting in the eye wash station’s plumbing for the past two years. (You’re supposed to flush out the pipes on a regular basis, but a lot of people don’t. The “water” that comes out is brown and full of flaky rust. Just what you want in your eye..) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/37 "2012-10-31T21:45:57Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > I did miss that, but I’m not sure how it’s relevant. Why does it matter that their MSDS was revised six years ago? A MSDS doesn’t expire as far as I know, and it’s still what they have posted on their website (you can see [all eleven here](http://www.idtdna.com/pages/support/technical-vault/reading-room/msds)) Look at the exact date closer. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/38 "2012-10-31T21:57:04Z")
:smack: Got it now. I guess some chemical safety officers do have a sense of humor, regardless of all evidence to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/39 "2012-10-31T22:23:30Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > :smack: Got it now. I guess some chemical safety officers do have a sense of humor, regardless of all evidence to the contrary. Years ago I worked in the chemical stockroom at a pharmaceutical company, with all kinds of wicked stuff on the shelves. We used to chuckle at the scary warnings printed on the distilled water and the sand. Around Christmas time, the J.T. Baker sales rep always dropped off a supply of peppermint candy packaged in official plastic Baker chemical jars, exactly like containers of sodium acetate or similar reagents. They even listed bogus warnings on the side, such as “may cause damage to waistline” I think they even provided an MSDS. I always got a kick out of that. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370/40 "2012-10-31T22:26:44Z")
Water _[is](http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html)_ dangerous, you know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-beryllium-really/639370.md?page=3)