Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy)
Biodurability is one of the main determinants of asbestos hazardousness for human health. Very little is known about the actual persistence of asbestos in lungs and its clearance, nor about differences in this regard between the different mineralogical types of asbestos. The aim of the present study...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.678040/full |
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| author | Silvia D. Visonà Silvana Capella Silvana Capella Sofia Bodini Paola Borrelli Paola Borrelli Simona Villani Eleonora Crespi Claudio Colosio Claudio Colosio Carlo Previderè Elena Belluso Elena Belluso |
| author_facet | Silvia D. Visonà Silvana Capella Silvana Capella Sofia Bodini Paola Borrelli Paola Borrelli Simona Villani Eleonora Crespi Claudio Colosio Claudio Colosio Carlo Previderè Elena Belluso Elena Belluso |
| author_sort | Silvia D. Visonà |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biodurability is one of the main determinants of asbestos hazardousness for human health. Very little is known about the actual persistence of asbestos in lungs and its clearance, nor about differences in this regard between the different mineralogical types of asbestos. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the amount, the dimensional characteristics and the mineralogic kinds of asbestos in lungs (measured using SEM-EDS) of a series of 72 deceased subjects who were certainly exposed to asbestos (mainly crocidolite and chrysotile) during their life. Moreover, we investigated possible correlations between the lung burden of asbestos (in general and considering each asbestos type), as well as their dimension (length, width, and l/w ratio) and the duration of exposure, the latency- in case of malignant mesothelioma (MM), the survival and the time since the end of exposure. In 62.5% of subjects, asbestos burden in lungs was lower that the threshold considered demonstrative for occupational exposure. In 29.1% of cases no asbestos was found. Chrysotile was practically not detected. The mean length of asbestos fibers and the length to width ratio were significantly related to the duration of exposure to asbestos. No other statistically significant correlations were found between the amount and dimensional characteristics of asbestos (nor with the relative amount of each asbestos type) and the other chronological variables considered. In conclusion, it was pointed out that chrysotile can be completely removed from human lungs in <8 years and, instead, amphiboles persist much more time. The present results suggest, as well, that the finding of no asbestos in lungs cannot rule out the attribution of MM to asbestos (in particular, chrysotile) inhaled in an occupational setting. This point is of crucial importance from a legal point of view. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:49:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-227c038ee104452aa8cf10deb0004fad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:49:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-227c038ee104452aa8cf10deb0004fad2022-12-21T22:52:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-07-01910.3389/fpubh.2021.678040678040Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy)Silvia D. Visonà0Silvana Capella1Silvana Capella2Sofia Bodini3Paola Borrelli4Paola Borrelli5Simona Villani6Eleonora Crespi7Claudio Colosio8Claudio Colosio9Carlo Previderè10Elena Belluso11Elena Belluso12Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, ItalyInterdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates “G. Scansetti”, University of Torino, Turin, ItalyUnit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, ItalyUnit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Pavia University, Pavia, ItalyLaboratory of Biostatistics, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University “G. d'Annunzio”, Chieti, ItalyUnit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Pavia University, Pavia, ItalyOccupational Health Unit, Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Milan, ItalyOccupational Health Unit, Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, ItalyUnit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, ItalyInterdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates “G. Scansetti”, University of Torino, Turin, ItalyBiodurability is one of the main determinants of asbestos hazardousness for human health. Very little is known about the actual persistence of asbestos in lungs and its clearance, nor about differences in this regard between the different mineralogical types of asbestos. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the amount, the dimensional characteristics and the mineralogic kinds of asbestos in lungs (measured using SEM-EDS) of a series of 72 deceased subjects who were certainly exposed to asbestos (mainly crocidolite and chrysotile) during their life. Moreover, we investigated possible correlations between the lung burden of asbestos (in general and considering each asbestos type), as well as their dimension (length, width, and l/w ratio) and the duration of exposure, the latency- in case of malignant mesothelioma (MM), the survival and the time since the end of exposure. In 62.5% of subjects, asbestos burden in lungs was lower that the threshold considered demonstrative for occupational exposure. In 29.1% of cases no asbestos was found. Chrysotile was practically not detected. The mean length of asbestos fibers and the length to width ratio were significantly related to the duration of exposure to asbestos. No other statistically significant correlations were found between the amount and dimensional characteristics of asbestos (nor with the relative amount of each asbestos type) and the other chronological variables considered. In conclusion, it was pointed out that chrysotile can be completely removed from human lungs in <8 years and, instead, amphiboles persist much more time. The present results suggest, as well, that the finding of no asbestos in lungs cannot rule out the attribution of MM to asbestos (in particular, chrysotile) inhaled in an occupational setting. This point is of crucial importance from a legal point of view.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.678040/fullasbestosmalignant mesotheliomaSEM-EDSasbestos clearancechrysotilelung fiber burden |
| spellingShingle | Silvia D. Visonà Silvana Capella Silvana Capella Sofia Bodini Paola Borrelli Paola Borrelli Simona Villani Eleonora Crespi Claudio Colosio Claudio Colosio Carlo Previderè Elena Belluso Elena Belluso Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) Frontiers in Public Health asbestos malignant mesothelioma SEM-EDS asbestos clearance chrysotile lung fiber burden |
| title | Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) |
| title_full | Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) |
| title_short | Evaluation of Deposition and Clearance of Asbestos (Detected by SEM-EDS) in Lungs of Deceased Subjects Environmentally and/or Occupationally Exposed in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) |
| title_sort | evaluation of deposition and clearance of asbestos detected by sem eds in lungs of deceased subjects environmentally and or occupationally exposed in broni pavia northern italy |
| topic | asbestos malignant mesothelioma SEM-EDS asbestos clearance chrysotile lung fiber burden |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.678040/full |
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