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Weerarathne WBCP, Sewwandi M, Wijayasinghe AC, Madegedara RMD, Vithanage M, Magana-Arachchi DN. Impact of air quality on the health of present-day workers in an Asbestos roof manufacturing industry, Sri Lanka. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:201. [PMID: 38696114 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01973-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/17/2024]
Abstract
The study's objective was to determine the air quality in an asbestos-related industry and its impact on current workers' respiratory health. Seventy-seven air and 65 dust samples were collected at 5-day intervals in an asbestos roofing sheets production factory in Sri Lanka having two production facilities. Sampling was performed in ten sites: Defective sheets-storage, Production-plant, Pulverizer, Cement-silo, and Loading-area. A detailed questionnaire and medical screening were conducted on 264 workers, including Lung Function Tests (LFT) and chest X-rays. Asbestos fibres were observed in deposited dust samples collected from seven sites. Free chrysotile fibres were absent in the breathing air samples. Scanning Electron Microscopy confirmed the presence of asbestos fibres, and the Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis revealed Mg, O, and Si in depositions. The average concentrations of trace metals were Cd-2.74, Pb-17.18, Ni-46.68, Cr-81.01, As-7.12, Co-6.77, and Cu-43.04 mg/kg. The average Zn, Al, Mg, and Fe concentrations were within 0.2-163 g/kg. The highest concentrations of PM2.52.5 and PM1010, 258 and 387 µg/m3, respectively, were observed in the Pulverizer site. Forty-four workers had respiratory symptoms, 64 presented LFT abnormalities, 5 indicated chest irregularities, 35.98% were smokers, and 37.5% of workers with abnormal LFT results were smokers. The correlation coefficients between LFT results and work duration with respiratory symptoms and work duration and chest X-ray results were 0.022 and 0.011, respectively. In conclusion, most pulmonary disorders observed cannot directly correlate to Asbestos exposure due to negligible fibres in breathing air, but fibres in the depositions and dust can influence the pulmonary health of the employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- W B C P Weerarathne
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Rd, Kandy, 20000, Sri Lanka
| | - M Sewwandi
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - A C Wijayasinghe
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Rd, Kandy, 20000, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Meththika Vithanage
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Rd, Kandy, 20000, Sri Lanka.
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka.
| | - D N Magana-Arachchi
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Rd, Kandy, 20000, Sri Lanka.
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Bardelli F, Giacobbe C, Ballirano P, Borelli V, Di Benedetto F, Montegrossi G, Bellis D, Pacella A. Closing the knowledge gap on the composition of the asbestos bodies. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:5039-5051. [PMID: 37058192 PMCID: PMC10310571 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01557-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos bodies (AB) form in the lungs as a result of a biomineralization process initiated by the alveolar macrophages in the attempt to remove asbestos. During this process, organic and inorganic material deposit on the foreign fibers forming a Fe-rich coating. The AB start to form in months, thus quickly becoming the actual interface between asbestos and the lung tissue. Therefore, revealing their composition, and, in particular, the chemical form of Fe, which is the major component of the AB, is essential to assess their possible role in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases. In this work we report the result of the first x-ray diffraction measurements performed on single AB embedded in the lung tissue samples of former asbestos plant workers. The combination with x-ray absorption spectroscopy data allowed to unambiguously reveal that Fe is present in the AB in the form of two Fe-oxy(hydroxides): ferrihydrite and goethite. The presence of goethite, which can be explained in terms of the transformation of ferrihydrite (a metastable phase) due to the acidic conditions induced by the alveolar macrophages in their attempt to phagocytose the fibers, has toxicological implications that are discussed in the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Bardelli
- National Research Council, Institute of Nanotechnology (CNR-Nanotec), Rome, Italy.
- Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - C Giacobbe
- Xenocs SAS, Grenoble, France
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - P Ballirano
- Department of Earth Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - V Borelli
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - F Di Benedetto
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - G Montegrossi
- National Research Council, Institute of Geoscience and Earth Resources (CNR-IGG), Florence, Italy
| | - D Bellis
- Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - A Pacella
- Department of Earth Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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Giacobbe C, Moliterni A, Di Giuseppe D, Malferrari D, Wright JP, Mattioli M, Raneri S, Giannini C, Fornasini L, Mugnaioli E, Ballirano P, Gualtieri AF. The crystal structure of the killer fibre erionite from Tuzköy (Cappadocia, Turkey). IUCRJ 2023; 10:397-410. [PMID: 37199503 PMCID: PMC10324483 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252523003500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Erionite is a non-asbestos fibrous zeolite classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen and is considered today similar to or even more carcinogenic than the six regulated asbestos minerals. Exposure to fibrous erionite has been unequivocally linked to cases of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and this killer fibre is assumed to be directly responsible for more than 50% of all deaths in the population of the villages of Karain and Tuzköy in central Anatolia (Turkey). Erionite usually occurs in bundles of thin fibres and very rarely as single acicular or needle-like fibres. For this reason, a crystal structure of this fibre has not been attempted to date although an accurate characterization of its crystal structure is of paramount importance for our understanding of the toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this work, we report on a combined approach of microscopic (SEM, TEM, electron diffraction), spectroscopic (micro-Raman) and chemical techniques with synchrotron nano-single-crystal diffraction that allowed us to obtain the first reliable ab initio crystal structure of this killer zeolite. The refined structure showed regular T-O distances (in the range 1.61-1.65 Å) and extra-framework content in line with the chemical formula (K2.63Ca1.57Mg0.76Na0.13Ba0.01)[Si28.62Al7.35]O72·28.3H2O. The synchrotron nano-diffraction data combined with three-dimensional electron diffraction (3DED) allowed us to unequivocally rule out the presence of offretite. These results are of paramount importance for understanding the mechanisms by which erionite induces toxic damage and for confirming the physical similarities with asbestos fibres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Giacobbe
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Anna Moliterni
- Institute of Crystallography-CNR, Via Amendola 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | - Dario Di Giuseppe
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, Modena 41125, Italy
| | - Daniele Malferrari
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, Modena 41125, Italy
| | - Jonathan P. Wright
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 avenue des Martyrs, Grenoble 38000, France
| | - Michele Mattioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Pure ed Applicate, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Campus Scientifico Enrico Mattei, Urbino 61029, Italy
| | - Simona Raneri
- ICCOM-CNR, Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds, Italian National Research Council, Via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Cinzia Giannini
- Institute of Crystallography-CNR, Via Amendola 122/o, Bari 70126, Italy
| | - Laura Fornasini
- ICCOM-CNR, Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds, Italian National Research Council, Via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | - Enrico Mugnaioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Paolo Ballirano
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Sapienza - Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Roma 00185, Italy
| | - Alessandro F. Gualtieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, Modena 41125, Italy
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Environmental Exposures and Lung Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Improving Respiratory Health. Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 8:281-293. [PMID: 34735706 PMCID: PMC8567983 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-021-00328-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Inhaled environmental exposures cause over 12 million deaths per year worldwide. Despite localized efforts to reduce environmental exposures, tobacco smoking and air pollution remain the urgent public health challenges that are contributing to the growing prevalence of respiratory diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the mechanisms through which inhaled environmental exposures accelerate lung aging and cause overt lung disease. RECENT FINDINGS Environmental exposures related to fossil fuel and tobacco combustion and occupational exposures related to silica and coal mining generate oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs. Sustained oxidative stress causes DNA damage, epigenetic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell cycle arrest in key progenitor cells in the lung. As a result, critical repair mechanisms are impaired, leading to premature destruction of the lung parenchyma. Inhaled environmental exposures accelerate lung aging by injuring the lungs and damaging the cells responsible for wound healing. Interventions that minimize exposure to noxious antigens are critical to improve lung health, and novel research is required to expand our knowledge of therapies that may slow or prevent premature lung aging.
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A Systematic Study of the Cryogenic Milling of Chrysotile Asbestos. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11114826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
For more than 40 years, intensive research has been devoted to shedding light on the mechanisms of asbestos toxicity. Given the key role of fibre length in the mechanisms of asbestos toxicity, much work has been devoted to finding suitable comminution routes to produce fibres in desired size intervals. A promising method is cryogenic milling that, unlike other mechanical size reduction techniques, preserves the crystal–chemical properties of materials. In this study, the effect of cryogenic milling on the physical–chemical properties of commercial Russian chrysotile was studied in order to produce precise size fractions with invariant properties compared to the pristine fibres. In particular, two batches with fibres > 5 µm and < 5 µm were prepared, as this limit sets their potential toxicity. The results are fundamental for future in vitro toxicity testing of this commercial product, widely used in chrysotile-friendly countries but not yet adequately studied. Results show that fibre length can be controlled by milling time under cryogenic conditions without inducing structural defects or amorphization; short fibres (95% L < 5 µm) can be obtained by cryogenic milling for 40 min, while 10 min is enough to yield long chrysotile fibres (90% L > 5 µm).
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Bardelli F, Brun F, De Panfilis S, Cloetens P, Capella S, Belluso E, Bellis D, Di Napoli A, Cedola A. Chemo-physical properties of asbestos bodies in human lung tissues studied at the nano-scale by non-invasive, label free x-ray imaging and spectroscopic techniques. Toxicol Lett 2021; 348:18-27. [PMID: 34023437 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In the lungs, asbestos develops an Fe-rich coating (Asbestos Body, AB) that becomes the actual interface between the foreign fibers and the host organism. Conventional approaches to study ABs require an invasive sample preparation that can alter them. In this work, a novel combination of x-ray tomography and spectroscopy allowed studying unaltered lung tissue samples with chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos. The thickness and mass density maps of the ABs obtained by x-ray tomography were used to derive a truly quantitative elemental analysis from scanning x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy data. The average mass density of the ABs is compatible with that of highly loaded ferritin, or hemosiderin. The composition of all ABs analyzed was similar, with only minor differences in the relative elemental fractions. Silicon concentration decreased in the core-to-rim direction, indicating a possible partial dissolution of the inner fiber. The Fe content in the ABs was higher than that possibly contained in chrysotile and crocidolite. This finding opens two opposite scenarios, the first with Fe coming from the fiber bulk and concentrating on the surface as long as the fiber dissolves, the second where the Fe that takes part to the formation of the AB originates from the host organism Fe-pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Bardelli
- Institute of Nanotechnology - CNR-Nanotec, c/o Department of Physics, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy.
| | - Francesco Brun
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Simone De Panfilis
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Roma, Italy
| | - Peter Cloetens
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble, France
| | - Silvana Capella
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Belluso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Donata Bellis
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Department of Surgery, Pathological Anatomy, Ospedale degli Infermi, Biella, Italy
| | - Arianna Di Napoli
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Pathology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology - CNR-Nanotec, c/o Department of Physics, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy
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Bardelli F, Brun F, Capella S, Bellis D, Cippitelli C, Cedola A, Belluso E. Asbestos bodies count and morphometry in bulk lung tissue samples by non-invasive X-ray micro-tomography. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10608. [PMID: 34012032 PMCID: PMC8136473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of the Asbestos Bodies (AB), i.e. asbestos that developed an iron-protein coating during its permanence in biological tissues, is one of the most accessible markers of asbestos exposure in individuals. The approaches developed to perform AB count in biological tissues are based on the manual examination of tissue digests or histological sections by means of light or electron microscopies. Although these approaches are well established and relatively accessible, manual examination is time-consuming and can be reader-dependent. Besides, approximations are applied because of the limitations of 2D readings and to speed up manual counts. In addition, sample preparation using tissue digests require an amount of tissue that can only be obtained by invasive surgery or post-mortem sampling. In this paper, we propose a new approach to AB counting based on non-destructive 3D imaging, which has the potential to overcome most of the limitations of conventional approaches. This method allows automating the AB count and determining their morphometry distribution in bulk tissue samples (ideally non-invasive needle biopsies), with minimal sample preparation and avoiding approximations. Although the results are promising, additional testing on a larger number of AB-containing biological samples would be required to fully validate the method.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Brun
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvana Capella
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Donata Bellis
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Ospedale degli Infermi, Biella, Italy
| | - Claudia Cippitelli
- Division of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Roma, Italy
| | | | - Elena Belluso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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