Environmental Airborne Tremolite Asbestos Pollution and Pleural Plaques in Afghanistan

Voisin, C; Marin, Isabelle; Brochard, Patrick; Pairon, Jean‐Claude

doi:10.1378/chest.106.3.974

Cited by 17 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The release of NOA fibers into the air by human work activities or natural weathering processes is a potential risk for the general population (9). These fibers have been detected in various parts worldwide, such as Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Corsica, New Caledonia, Afghanistan, Russia, Montana (USA) and Italy (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunomodulatory effects in workers exposed to naturally occurring asbestos fibers

Ledda

Costa

Matera

et al. 2017

Molecular Medicine Reports

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Natural asbestiform fibers are defined 'naturally occurring asbestos' (NOA) and refer to the mineral as a natural component of soils or rocks. The release of NOA fibers into the air from rocks or soils by routine human activities or natural weathering processes represents a risk for human beings. Fluoro-edenite (FE) is a NOA fiber detected in the benmoreitic lava in the area of Biancavilla, South-west slope of Mt. Etna. The aim of the present study was to investigate FE immunotoxicity pathways in a group of 38 occupationally exposed construction workers, in order to find any biological markers of its effect. Subjects underwent respiratory function tests and HRCT total chest scanning. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were measured. The presence of PPs was significantly greater in subjects exposed than in the control (25 vs. 2). In subjects exposed to FE, IL-1β and TNF-α values were significantly higher than the controls. The previously observed increase of IL-1β and IL-18 showed a probable involvement of the proteic complex defined inflammosome by FE fibers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunomodulatory effects in workers exposed to naturally occurring asbestos fibers

Ledda

Costa

Matera

et al. 2017

Molecular Medicine Reports

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“…Tegen et al (1996) reported that 50% of total atmospheric dust mass globally originates from soils disturbed by human activity. Green et al (1990) found amphibole in airborne mineral dusts associated with farming in Alberta, Canada, and Voisin et al (1994) detected ambient EMP tremolite in Afghanistan. Kalderon-Asael et al (2009) reported amphibole and serpentine in atmospheric particles suspended over Israel, and attributed its source to soils from the arid and semi-arid dust belt that extends from 20 to 30 • N latitude around the world.…”

Section: Erosion Of Naturally Occurring Asbestos (Noa) Amphibole Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In New Caledonia, both tremolite-asbestos and chrysotile were found in the soils and in local serpentinite quarries (Luce et al, 2000;Baumann et al, 2007Baumann et al, , 2011. In Afghanistan, no asbestos-related diseases were reported, but tremolite EMP detected in soil dust and pleural plaques may be associated with exposure to it (Voisin et al, 1994). Measurements of outdoor EMP concentrations in Turkey were reported by Metintas et al (2002) at levels of 0.009-0.040 f/cm 3 in villages near Eskisehir where soil mining provided white wash. Massaro et al (2012) reported airborne tremolite EMP in the area of Basilicata, Italy, at levels from <1 to >200 f/cm 3 where soils overlying serpentinite are disturbed.…”

Section: Erosion Of Naturally Occurring Asbestos (Noa) Amphibole Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methodologies for Determining the Sources, Characteristics, Distribution, and Abundance of Asbestiform and Nonasbestiform Amphibole and Serpentine in Ambient Air and Water

Wylie

Candela

2015

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B

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Anthropogenic and nonanthropogenic (erosion) processes contribute to the continuing presence of asbestos and nonasbestos elongated mineral particles (EMP) of amphibole and serpentine in air and water of urban, rural, and remote environments. The anthropogenic processes include disturbance and deterioration of asbestos-containing materials, mining of amphibole- and serpentine-bearing rock, and disturbance of soils containing amphibole and serpentine. Atmospheric dispersal processes can transport EMP on a global scale. There are many methods of establishing the abundance of EMP in air and water. EMP include cleavage fragments, fibers, asbestos, and other asbestiform minerals, and the methods employed do not critically distinguish among them. The results of most of the protocols are expressed in the common unit of fibers per square centimeter; however, seven different definitions for the term "fiber" are employed and the results are not comparable. The phase-contrast optical method used for occupational monitoring cannot identify particles being measured, and none of the methods distinguish amphibole asbestos from other EMP of amphibole. Measured ambient concentrations of airborne EMP are low, and variance may be high, even for similar environments, yielding data of questionable value for risk assessment. Calculations based on the abundance of amphibole-bearing rock and estimates of asbestos in the conterminous United States suggest that amphibole may be found in 6-10% of the land area; nonanthropogenic erosional processes might produce on the order of 400,000 tons or more of amphibole per year, and approximately 50 g asbestos/km(2)/yr; and the order of magnitude of the likelihood of encountering rock bearing any type of asbestos is approximately 0.0001.

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“…The issue has since been extensively investigated, bringing to light a range of outcomes and exposure circumstances that have been the subject of a number of evaluations, including the study by STRAIF et al [1] in 2009 and the Helsinki Conference [5]. Specifically, attention has been paid to tremolite-induced mesothelioma and pleural plaques due to soil contamination in Bulgaria [6], Turkey [7][8][9], Corsica [10,11], Greece [12][13][14][15], Cyprus [16], New Caledonia [17,18], Afghanistan [19], Botswana [20] and Italy [21,22].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Respiratory illness in asbestos contaminated sites: the role of environmental exposure

Comba

Fazzo

Zona³

2011

Eur Respir J

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Environmental Airborne Tremolite Asbestos Pollution and Pleural Plaques in Afghanistan

Cited by 17 publications

References 3 publications

Immunomodulatory effects in workers exposed to naturally occurring asbestos fibers

Immunomodulatory effects in workers exposed to naturally occurring asbestos fibers

Methodologies for Determining the Sources, Characteristics, Distribution, and Abundance of Asbestiform and Nonasbestiform Amphibole and Serpentine in Ambient Air and Water

Respiratory illness in asbestos contaminated sites: the role of environmental exposure

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