Damage to asbestos fibers by the transmission electron microscope (TEM) electron beam is a known limitation of this powerful method of analysis. Although it is often considered only in terms of loss of crystallinity, recent studies have shown that the damage may also change the elemental composition of fibers, thus causing significant identification errors. In this study, the main objective was to assess whether temperature is a factor influencing damage to asbestos fibers and, if so, how it can be used to minimize damage. It was found that lowering the temperature to 123K can inhibit, for a given time, the manifestation of the damage. The significant decrease of atom diffusion at low temperature momentarily prevents mass loss, greatly reducing the possibility of misidentification of anthophyllite asbestos fibers. The results obtained in this study strongly suggest that the predominant mechanism damage is probably related to the induced-electric-field model relegating radiolysis to the status of a subsidiary damage mechanism.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2016.11.011 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
The World Health Organization has confirmed that asbestos fibres are carcinogenic, claiming that asbestos-related diseases should be eradicated worldwide. Actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite are regulated asbestiform mineral phases. However, in nature, asbestos minerals occur either in a fibrous and asbestiform (original morphology characterized by high length-to-width ratio and provided of high tensile strength and flexibility) or fibrous but not asbestiform appearance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIndian J Nephrol
June 2024
Department of Radiology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalathumettupathai, Kalapet, Pondicherry, India.
An 80-year-old male with a history of prolonged asbestos exposure presented with 24-hour urine protein of 8 gm, and serum albumin of 1.7 gm/dl. Renal biopsy disclosed features of membranous nephropathy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Occup Health
January 2025
Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
Objectives: Natural fibrous mineral, asbestos, has been useful in industry for many centuries. In the 1960's, epidemiology had recognized the association between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma and the IARC designated all kinds of asbestos as Group 1 in 1987. However, various scientific enigmas remained regarding the molecular mechanisms of asbestos-induced mesothelial carcinogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Glob Health
January 2025
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.
Abandoned asbestos mines are a potential source of environmental contamination and exposure for nearby residents. The asbestos exposure risk may persist even after the cessation of mining activity if the mine is not properly closed. One such abandoned mine is at Roro Hills in the Jharkhand state of India.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAME Case Rep
October 2024
Center for Asbestos-Related Diseases, Toyama Rosai Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
Background: The underlying pathophysiology of some occupational diseases such as silicosis involves autoantibodies. An autoantibody, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), has been recently reported and is known to be elevated in diseases such as vasculitis; therefore, the disease is currently known as ANCA-associated vasculitis. The risk of ANCA-associated vasculitis is known to be 25 times higher in patients with silicosis than in those without any occupational disease.
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