Beryllium: laboratory evidence

Beryllium-containing compounds have been studied extensively and have been known to be carcinogenic in animals since 1946. Beryllium salts and alloys were among the first nonradioactive, inorganic substances shown to induce osteogenic sarcoma in experimental animals. Beryllium-containing compounds have been demonstrated to be powerful pulmonary carcinogens in rats. To date, these compounds do not appear to be mutagenic, leaving open the question of their mechanism of action.