Mineralogic parameters related to amosite asbestos-induced fibrosis in humans

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · American Review of Respiratory Disease (New York); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/142.6_Pt_1.1331· OSTI ID:6064709

Churg, A; Wright, J; Wiggs, B; Depaoli, L ^[1]

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1. Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

We have previously shown that in the lungs of a group of chrysotile miners and millers, grade of interstitial fibrosis (asbestosis) is directly proportional to tremolite fiber or chrysotile fiber concentration but is inversely proportional to mean fiber length and length-related parameters. To compare the effects of the commercial amphibole asbestos amosite on parenchymal fibrosis, we histologically graded fibrosis in four different sites in the lungs of 20 shipyard and insulation workers with heavy amosite exposure and measured by analytic electron microscopy fiber concentration and size in corresponding portions of lung tissue. Fibrosis grade was found to be strongly positively correlated with amosite concentration and negatively correlated with mean fiber size parameters, including fiber length, width, surface area, and mass. A comparison of our present results with our data on the chrysotile miners and millers showed that the regression lines of fibrosis grade versus concentration for amosite, chrysotile, and tremolite were statistically different. These findings indicate that amosite concentration, like chrysotile and tremolite concentration, is closely and directly related to fibrosis at the local lung level. Furthermore, these observations again raise the possibility that short fibers may be more important than is commonly believed in the genesis of fibrosis in man. Last, the concentration comparison data indicate that, fiber for fiber, amosite is more fibrogenic than is chrysotile or tremolite, and indirectly suggest that tremolite is more fibrogenic than is chrysotile.

• OSTI ID: 6064709
• Journal Information: American Review of Respiratory Disease (New York); (USA), Vol. 142:6 Pt 1; ISSN 0003-0805
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ASBESTOS
TOXICITY
LUNGS
FIBROSIS
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
MICROANALYSIS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550602 - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)