Evaluation of historical beryllium abundance in soils, airborne particulates and facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

► We examined beryllium concentrations in historical on-site soil samples and local air particulates. ► We evaluated beryllium-to-metal ratios for soil and air filter samples and applied results to samples from facility carpets. ► Localized areas of contamination were identified, but operations do not appear to have increased Be in local air and water. ► Variation in airborne beryllium correlates to local weather patterns and PM10 levels and not to operational activities. ► Multi-element analysis provided information to determine whether the source of Be was natural or anthropogenic.