Morpho-chemical characterization and surface properties of carcinogenic zeolite fibers

Prismatic to Asbestiform Offretite from Northern Italy: Occurrence, Morphology and Crystal-Chemistry of a New Potentially Hazardous Zeolite

“…In particular,~95% of fibers are characterized by a small diameter (<1.5 µm, average 0.6 µm), and more than 30% of the measured fibers have a very small diameter (<0.3 µm, average 0.25 µm). According to [18] indications, all of these fibers may be considered as "inhalable," and they are well within the range of the "more carcinogenic fibers" regarding diameter [3]. The main mode observed in the offretite fibers of MB2287 is 20-25 µm, and~93% of the measured fibers are >5 µm, and therefore they may also be significantly associated with carcinogenesis when breathed in term of lengths [3,10,19].…”

“…The main mode observed in the offretite fibers of MB2287 is 20-25 µm, and~93% of the measured fibers are >5 µm, and therefore they may also be significantly associated with carcinogenesis when breathed in term of lengths [3,10,19]. About the physical features, particular attention also needs to be paid to reliably evaluating the toxicological effects related not only to the dimension of offretite fibers, but also to their flexibility and their tendency to split, features that may significantly modify their surface area and, consequently, their reactivity [18,79]. The various offretite samples show different mechanical behavior, having an extremely fibrous with flexible to rigid appearance or forming prismatic to acicular, brittle crystals.…”

Where is iron in erionite? A multidisciplinary study on fibrous erionite-Na from Jersey (Nevada, USA)

“…Minor amounts of iron (Fe 2 O 3  < 0.13 wt%) were determined but not interpreted for fibrous erionite-K from Lander County (Nevada, USA) and Karain (Turkey)31. Iron has also been qualitatively detected but not interpreted in a fibrous (presumably) erionite-Na found in the lung tissue of a North American patient who was raised on a farm in the Mexican Volcanic Belt region and died of epithelial pleural MM32.…”

Real-Time Observation of Fibrous Zeolites Reactivity in Contact with Simulated Lung Fluids (SLFs) Obtained by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)

“…Erionite is a natural zeolite, occurring as a diagenetic alteration product of sediments, in cavities of altered basalts, or as a hydrothermal alteration product of volcanic rocks [1][2][3]. The idealized chemical formula of erionite is K 2 (NaCa 0.5 ) 8 [Al 10 Si 26 O 72 ]·28H 2 O [4,5]. From a structural point of view, this zeolite belongs to the ABC-6 family, with space group P6 3 /mmc and unit-cell parameters a = 13.19-13.34 Å, c = 15.04-15.22 Å.…”

“…Recently, the epidemiological, mineralogical and toxicological effects of erionite have been intensively investigated [12,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Studies regarding erionite fibres were conducted on their interacting capability and the interactions with micelles and model membranes [26,27]. Investigations using human cell cultures [28,29] and from in-vivo studies [30], demonstrated that erionite is extremely biopersistent and could spread its cytotoxic action over decades.…”