New beryllium reference material for occupational safety monitoring
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - 18:07
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with private industry and other government agencies, have produced a new reference material for beryllium. Beryllium, an exotic rare-earth metal used as a hardener in high-performance alloys and ceramics, can cause berylliosis -- a chronic, incurable and sometimes fatal illness.