Asbestos body counting by a single reader is a reliable method, especially at low concentrations of asbestos bodies in lung tissue. Double reading may be indicated in borderline cases with asbestos body levels close to levels of 1 000 AB/g.

The results of this study provide the first data on the type of asbestos retained in the lung of Spanish population. A particularly striking finding is the exclusive retention of amphiboles, which suggests that chrysotile is eliminated after inhalation. Our findings support estimations considering Spain and other southern European countries with similar asbestos imports and consumption at a high risk to develop asbestos-related diseases in the years to come.