Beryllium nitride
Agent Name
Beryllium nitride
CAS Number
1304-54-7
Formula
Be3-N2
Major Category
Metals
Synonyms
Beryllium nitride (Be3N2); Triberyllium nitride; [ChemIDplus]
Category
Beryllium Compounds, Inorganic
Description
White to greyish solid; [Merck Index] White, grey, or yellow powder or lumps; [MSDSonline] Cubic at room temperature; [Ullmann]
Sources/Uses
Used in atomic energy and to make radioactive carbon 14; [Hawley] The nitrides of the alkaline-earth metals (beryllium, strontium, barium, magnesium, and calcium) are used as sintering additives; [Ullmann]
Comments
An irritant; May cause serious eye injury; Acute inhalation may cause chemical pneumonitis; Chronic inhalation may cause chronic beryllium disease; May cause skin sensitization; Reacts with air at 600 deg C to rapidly produce BeO and N2; [MSDSonline] See "Beryllium" for one additional linked occupational disease. See "NITRIDES."
Biomedical References
Exposure Assessment
Skin Designation (ACGIH)
Yes
TLV (ACGIH)
5E-05 mg/m3, as Be, inhalable fraction
PEL (OSHA)
0.002 mg/m3, as Be, Ceiling(OSHA) = 0.005 mg/m3, as Be(0.025 mg/m3,as Be,for 30 min.peak per 8-hr shift)
IDLH (NIOSH)
4 mg/m3, as Be
Adverse Effects
Toxic Pneumonitis
Yes
Fibrogenic
Yes
Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent
Diseases
Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent: