Oxider - grupp 2

Bra fråga. Det är ganska förvånande att beryllium är giftigt. Det ligger liksom ”utanför” gruppen med traditionellt giftiga metaller, dvs de tungmetaller man hittar ungefär mitt i periodiska systemet.

Saxat från engelska Wikipedia:

Beryllium is chemically similar to magnesium and therefore can displace it from enzymes, which causes them to malfunction.[109] Because Be2+ is a highly charged and small ion, it can easily get into many tissues and cells, where it specifically targets cell nuclei, inhibiting many enzymes, including those used for synthesizing DNA. Its toxicity is exacerbated by the fact that the body has no means to control beryllium levels, and once inside the body the beryllium cannot be removed.