ContaminantDB: Beryllium nitrate

Identification Taxonomy Biological Properties Physical Properties Toxicity Profile Spectra Concentrations Links References Targets (12)XML

Record Information

Version

1.0

Creation Date

2009-03-21 01:28:40 UTC

Update Date

2026-04-05 20:38:10 UTC

Accession Number

CHEM000580

Identification

Common Name

Beryllium nitrate

Class

Small Molecule

Description

Beryllium nitrate is a nitrate of beryllium. Beryllium is a lightweight alkaline earth metal with the atomic number 4. It is a relatively rare element found naturally only combined with other elements in minerals. Nitrite is a toxic compound known to cause methemoglobinemia. (10, 6)

Contaminant Sources

Clean Air Act Chemicals
IARC Carcinogens Group 1
T3DB toxins

Contaminant Type

Beryllium Compound
Industrial/Workplace Toxin
Inorganic Compound
Nitrate
Nitrite
Pollutant
Synthetic Compound

Chemical Structure

MOL SDF PDB SMILES InChI

Synonyms

Value	Source
Beryllium nitric acid	Generator

Chemical Formula

BeN₂O₆

Average Molecular Mass

133.022 g/mol

Monoisotopic Mass

132.988 g/mol

CAS Registry Number

13597-99-4

IUPAC Name

(nitrooxy)beryllio nitrate

Traditional Name

(nitrooxy)beryllio nitrate

SMILES

[O-][N+](=O)O[Be]O[N+]([O-])=O

InChI Identifier

InChI=1S/Be.2NO3/c;2*2-1(3)4/q+2;2*-1

InChI Key

RFVVBBUVWAIIBT-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Chemical Taxonomy

Description

belongs to the class of inorganic compounds known as alkaline earth metal nitrates. These are inorganic compounds in which the largest oxoanion is nitrate, and in which the heaviest atom not in an oxoanion is an alkaline earth metal.

Kingdom

Inorganic compounds

Super Class

Mixed metal/non-metal compounds

Class

Alkaline earth metal oxoanionic compounds

Sub Class

Alkaline earth metal nitrates

Direct Parent

Alkaline earth metal nitrates

Alternative Parents

Substituents

Alkaline earth metal nitrate
Inorganic beryllium salt
Inorganic oxide
Inorganic salt

Molecular Framework

Not Available

External Descriptors

Not Available

Biological Properties

Status

Detected and Not Quantified

Origin

Exogenous

Cellular Locations

Cytoplasm
Extracellular

Biofluid Locations

Not Available

Tissue Locations

Not Available

Pathways

Not Available

Applications

Not Available

Biological Roles

Not Available

Chemical Roles

Not Available

Physical Properties

State

Solid

Appearance

White powder.

Experimental Properties

Property	Value
Melting Point	Not Available
Boiling Point	Not Available
Solubility	Not Available

Predicted Properties

Property	Value	Source
logP	1.34	ChemAxon
pKa (Strongest Basic)	-1.3	ChemAxon
Physiological Charge	0	ChemAxon
Hydrogen Acceptor Count	6	ChemAxon
Hydrogen Donor Count	0	ChemAxon
Polar Surface Area	110.1 Å²	ChemAxon
Rotatable Bond Count	4	ChemAxon
Refractivity	18.52 m³·mol⁻¹	ChemAxon
Polarizability	8.72 Å³	ChemAxon
Number of Rings	0	ChemAxon
Bioavailability	1	ChemAxon
Rule of Five	Yes	ChemAxon
Ghose Filter	No	ChemAxon
Veber's Rule	No	ChemAxon
MDDR-like Rule	No	ChemAxon

Spectra

Spectrum Type	Description	Splash Key	View
Predicted LC-MS/MS	Predicted LC-MS/MS Spectrum - 10V, Positive	splash10-001i-0900000000-192484dd192c3735163a	Spectrum
Predicted LC-MS/MS	Predicted LC-MS/MS Spectrum - 20V, Positive	splash10-001i-0900000000-192484dd192c3735163a	Spectrum
Predicted LC-MS/MS	Predicted LC-MS/MS Spectrum - 40V, Positive	splash10-000t-9500000000-8ded5ac236fd2b14e55e	Spectrum

Toxicity Profile

Route of Exposure

Oral (10) ; Inhalation (10)

Mechanism of Toxicity

Once in the body, beryllium acts as a hapten and interacts with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DP presenting cells in the lungs, becoming physically associated with a major histocompatability (MHC) class II molecule. This MHC class II-beryllium-peptide complex is recognized by the T lymphocyte receptor, triggering CD4+ T lymphocyte activation and proliferation. The resulting inflammatory response is a cell-mediated process orchestrated by cytokines and results in the formation of (usually pulmonary) granulomas. Beryllium's toxicity may be controlled by the iron-storage protein ferritin, which sequesters beryllium by binding it and preventing it from interacting with other enzymes. Nitrate's toxicity is a result of it's conversion to nitrite once in the body. Nitrite causes the autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin to hydrogen peroxide and methemoglobin. This elevation of methemoglobin levels is a condition known as methemoglobinemia, and is characterized by tissue hypoxia, as methemoglobin cannot bind oxygen. (5, 11, 7, 1, 2)

Metabolism

Beryllium is absorbed mainly through the lungs, where it enters the bloodstream and is transported throughout the body by binding to prealbumins and gamma-globulins. Beryllium accumulates in lung tissue and the skeleton. It is excreted mainly in the urine. Intake of some amount of nitrates and nitrites is a normal part of the nitrogen cycle in humans. In vivo conversion of nitrates to nitrites can occur in the gastrointestional tract under the right conditions, significantly enhancing nitrates' toxic potency. The major metabolic pathway for nitrate is conversion to nitrite, and then to ammonia. Nitrites, nitrates, and their metabolites are excreted in the urine. (10, 7)

Toxicity Values

Not Available

Lethal Dose

Not Available

Carcinogenicity (IARC Classification)

1, carcinogenic to humans. (9)

Uses/Sources

Beryllium nitrate is used as a chemichal reagent, a gas mantle hardener and in refining beryllium ores (4).

Minimum Risk Level

Chronic Oral: 0.002 mg/kg/day (8)

Health Effects

Acute inhalation of a high level of beryllium can result in a pneumonia-like condition called acute beryllium disease. Chronic inhalation of beryllium can cause an inflammatory reaction in the respiratory system called chronic beryllium disease. Chronic beryllium disease may result in anorexia and weight loss, as well as right side heart enlargement and heart disease in advanced cases. Chronic exposure can also increase the risk of lung cancer. Skin contact with beryllium results in contact dermatitus. Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Nitrites may cause pregnancy complications and developmental effects. They may also be carcinogenic. (10, 6, 7)

Symptoms

Chronic beryllium disease causes fatigue, weakness, difficulty breathing, and a persistent dry cough. Nitrate and nitrite poisoning causes methemoglobinemia. Symptoms include cyanosis, cardiac dysrhythmias and circulatory failure, and progressive central nervous system (CNS) effects. CNS effects can range from mild dizziness and lethargy to coma and convulsions. (10, 6, 7)

Treatment

Chronic beryllium disease is treated with immunosuppressive medicines, usually of the glucocorticoid class. Methemoglobinemia can be treated with supplemental oxygen and methylene blue 1% solution administered intravenously slowly over five minutes followed by IV flush with normal saline. Methylene blue restores the iron in hemoglobin to its normal (reduced) oxygen-carrying state. (11, 6)

Concentrations

Not Available

External Links

DrugBank ID

Not Available

HMDB ID

Not Available

FooDB ID

Not Available

Phenol Explorer ID

Not Available

KNApSAcK ID

Not Available

BiGG ID

Not Available

BioCyc ID

Not Available

METLIN ID

Not Available

PDB ID

Not Available

Wikipedia Link

Beryllium nitrate

Chemspider ID

Not Available

ChEBI ID

Not Available

PubChem Compound ID

26126

Kegg Compound ID

Not Available

YMDB ID

Not Available

ECMDB ID

Not Available

References

Synthesis Reference

Not Available

MSDS

Not Available

General References

Not Available

Beryllium nitrate (CHEM000580)

Structure for CHEM000580: Beryllium nitrate