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Schneider J, Arhelger R, Brückel B, Baur X. Diagnostic limitations of lung fiber counts in asbestos-related diseases. THE JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE AND INTEGRITY 2023. [DOI: 10.35122/001c.70352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lung dust fibre analyses have been used by some pathologists to estimate past asbestos exposure in the workplace and its related health risks. Asbestos, however, especially the predominately applied chrysotile asbestos type, undergoes translocation, clearance and degradation in the lungs. Objectives We quantified the asbestos fibre and ferruginous (asbestos) body (FB) content in human tissue with respect to the German asbestos ban in 1993 and the interim period of more than 20 years in order to evaluate the diagnostic evidence of these analyses for asbestos-related diseases (ARD). Methods Lung dust analyses have been used in empirical assessments of ARD since 1982. Tissue samples of about 2 cm3 were used and processed in standardized manner. FB was analysed by light microscopy and asbestos fibres by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Results Chrysotile and amphibole fibre concentrations in the lung tissue depend roughly on the cumulative asbestos exposure levels in the workplace. However, the concentration of lung asbestos fibre and FB depends on the year of examination and especially on the interim period. As the interim period increases, the asbestos fibre burden decreases. There is no relationship between FB and chrysotile asbestos fibre concentrations and only a weak correlation between FB and crocidolite fibre concentrations. There was no significant difference in chrysotile and amphibole fibre concentrations as well as in FB counts between the different ARD. Conclusions Due to the length of interim periods, a past exposure to chrysotile or amphibole asbestos can no longer be detected with FB or asbestos fibre measurement in lung tissue. This means that negative results of such measurements cannot disprove a qualified occupational case history of asbestos exposures and the related health risks due to the fibrogenic and carcinogenic potential of asbestos.
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Baur X, Frank AL. Ongoing downplaying of the carcinogenicity of chrysotile asbestos by vested interests. J Occup Med Toxicol 2021; 16:6. [PMID: 33622366 PMCID: PMC7901213 DOI: 10.1186/s12995-021-00295-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Industries that mine, manufacture and sell asbestos or asbestos-containing products have a long tradition of promoting the use of asbestos, while placing the burden of economic and health costs on workers and society. This has been successfully done in recent years and decades in spite of the overwhelming evidence that all asbestos types are carcinogenic and cause asbestosis. In doing so, the asbestos industry has undermined the WHO campaign to reach a worldwide ban of asbestos and to eliminate asbestos-related diseases. Even worse, in recent years they succeeded in continuing asbestos mining and consuming in the range of about 1.3 million tons annually. Nowadays, production takes place predominantly in Russia, Kazakhstan and China. Chrysotile is the only asbestos type still sold and represents 95% of asbestos traded over the last century.The asbestos industry, especially its PR agency, the International Chrysotile Association, ICA, financed by asbestos mining companies in Russia, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe and asbestos industrialists in India and Mexico, continues to be extremely active by using slogans such as chrysotile can be used safely.Another approach of the asbestos industry and of some of its insurance agencies is to broadly defeat liability claims of asbestos victims.In doing so they systematically use inappropriate science produced by their own and/or by industry-affiliated researchers. Some of the latter were also engaged in producing defense material for other industries including the tobacco industry. Frequent examples of distributing such disinformation include questioning or denying established scientific knowledge about adverse health effects of asbestos. False evidence continues to be published in scientific journals and books.The persisting strong influence of vested asbestos-related interests in workers and public health issues including regulations and compensation necessitate ongoing alertness, corrections and appropriate reactions in scientific as well as public media and policy advisory bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xaver Baur
- Chair Em. of Occupational Medicine, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
- European Society for Environmental and Occupational Medicine, P.O. Box 370514, D-14135, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Arthur L Frank
- Chair Em. of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Zeng Y, Cui Y, Ma J, Huo T, Dong F, Zhang Q, Deng J, Zhang X, Yang J, Wang Y. Lung injury and expression of p53 and p16 in Wistar rats induced by respirable chrysotile fiber dust from four primary areas of China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:22389-22399. [PMID: 28963651 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0279-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Chrysotile products were widely used in daily life, and a large amount of respirable dust was produced in the process of production and application. At present, there was seldom research on the safety of chrysotile fiber dust, and whether its long-term inhalation can lead to lung cancer was unknown. In order to determine whether respirable chrysotile fiber dust of China caused lung cancer, four major chrysotile-producing mine areas in China were selected for this study. Chrysotile fibers were prepared into respirable dust. Particle size was measured by laser particle analysis, morphology was observed by scanning electron microscope, chrysotile fiber phase was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, trace chemical elements were identified by X-ray fluorescence, and the structure and the active groups of the dust were determined after grinding by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Male Wistar rats were exposed to non-exposed intratracheal instillation with different concentrations of chrysotile fiber dust. The rats were weighed after 1, 3, and 6 months, then the lung tissues were separated, the lung morphology was observed, and the pulmonary index was calculated. Pathological changes in lung tissues were observed by optical microscope after the HE staining of tissues, and the gene expression of p53 and p16 was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. First, the results showed that the particle sizes of the four fibers were less than 10 μm. Four primary areas of chrysotile had similar fibrous structure, arranged in fascicles, or mixed with thin chunks of material. Second, the elementary composition of the four fibers was mainly chrysotile, and the structure and the active groups of the grinding dust were not damaged. Third, the weights of the treated rats were obviously lower, and the lung weights and the pulmonary index increased significantly (P < 0.05). Fourth, the treated Wistar rat lung tissues revealed different degrees of congestion, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, and mild fibrosis. Fifth, the p53 and p16 genes decreased in the Mangnai group after 1 month of exposure, and the other groups increased. The expression of p53 and p16 in each group decreased significantly after 6 months (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the respirable chrysotile fiber dust from the four primary areas of China had the risk of causing lung injury, and these changes may be related to the physical and chemical characteristics of chrysotile from different production areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Zeng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Cui
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Huo
- Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and the Resource Recycle, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, People's Republic of China
| | - Faqin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and the Resource Recycle, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingbi Zhang
- School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianjun Deng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulin Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, 404 Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, 621000, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
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Baur X, Woitowitz HJ, Budnik LT, Egilman D, Oliver C, Frank A, Soskolne CL, Landrigan PJ, Lemen RA. Asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer: The Helsinki criteria for diagnosis and attribution. Critical need for revision of the 2014 update. Am J Ind Med 2017; 60:411-421. [PMID: 28409857 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xaver Baur
- Charité University Medicine Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | | | - Lygia T. Budnik
- European Society for Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Berlin Germany
| | - David Egilman
- Alpert School of Medicine Brown University; Attleboro Massachusetts
| | - Christine Oliver
- Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School; Occupational Health Initiatives, Inc.; Brookline Massachusetts
| | - Arthur Frank
- Drexel University School of Public Health and College of Medicine; Philadelphia Pennsylvania
| | - Colin L. Soskolne
- University of Alberta; Edmonton Canada
- Faculty of Health; University of Canberra; Canberra Australia
| | - Philip J. Landrigan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
| | - Richard A. Lemen
- United States Public Health Service (ret.); Environmental and Occupational Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at the Emory University; Atlanta Georgia
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