Determinants of a bronchoalveolar lavage of good quality for mineralogical analyses in adults: Experience from the Asbestos Fibers and Particles Laboratory of Paris City.

Background: Mineralogical analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) may help in assessing past exposure to mineral particles. However, their interpretation relies on their quality, meaning their representativeness of the alveolar compartment. The aim of this study was to find predictive factors of BAL samples quality allowing a reliable mineralogical analysis.