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Chornkrathok S, Carbone M, Yang H, Rouf M, Dodson RF, Dera P. Mineralogical investigation of asbestos contamination of soil near old vermiculite processing plant in Honolulu, Hawai'i. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024:124350. [PMID: 38857841 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
From 1954 to 1983, a vermiculite processing facility operated near the Honolulu airport and processed raw material from the Libby, Montana mine, which is now well known for the high asbestos content of its clay deposits. The factory was closed in 1983 due to health hazard concerns, and remediation was performed in 2001 as part of the Libby mine superfund project. However, because of close proximity of the closed-down facility to residential areas of metropolitan Honolulu, some concerns remain regarding the possible environmental persistence of the harmful contaminant. To assess the dispersion of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite and explore the impact of trade winds on its distribution, air dust, and soil samples were collected from multiple locations near the former vermiculite plant. Polarized light microscopy was employed to identify elongated minerals, including potential asbestos. Quantitative mineralogical analysis utilizing X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement revealed an average content of approximately 7% vermiculite and 4% tremolite at the site. The asbestiform nature of tremolite was confirmed through X-ray micro-diffraction. Detailed analysis of airborne dust samples using transmission electron microscopy revealed no detectable levels of asbestos in the vicinity of the former processing facilities, but the possibility of asbestos fibers becoming airborne due to mechanical disturbance during dry weather cannot be ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasithorn Chornkrathok
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Michele Carbone
- University of Hawai'i Cancer Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, HI, 96813, USA
| | - Haining Yang
- University of Hawai'i Cancer Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, HI, 96813, USA
| | - Mohammad Rouf
- Globeteck Group, Inc., 2800 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | | | - Przemyslaw Dera
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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Miller A. Recognizing the pleura in asbestos-related pleuropulmonary disease: Known and new manifestations of pleural fibrosis. Am J Ind Med 2024; 67:73-80. [PMID: 38030592 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Pleural thickening (PT) is a major consequence of exposure to all fiber types of asbestos. In recent decades, it is more prevalent than parenchymal asbestosis. Its manifestations occupy a full clinical and radiographic spectrum. Six major manifestations can be identified: (a) acute pleuritis generally with effusion; (b) diffuse PT or fibrous pleuritis; (c) rounded atelectasis; (d) circumscribed PT or plaques; (e) chronic pleuritic pain; and (f) mesothelioma. Review of the experience of workers and community members in Libby, MT to asbestiform fibers in vermiculite has confirmed the appearance of these previously known benign and malignant asbestos-related diseases as well as a unique pleuropulmonary disease characterized as lamellar PT and associated with progressive decline in pulmonary function and pleuritic pain. Despite previous literature asserting that PT represents a marker for asbestos exposure without significant effect on pulmonary function and physiology, the experience of Libby amphibole (LA) disease, along with other studies, indicates that PT plays a role in declining vital capacity in those with prolonged or unusual exposures such as those arising from LA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Miller
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York, USA
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McDonald SA, Fan Y, Rogers RA, Godleski JJ. Magnesium/silicon atomic weight percent ratio standards for the tissue identification of talc by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Ultrastruct Pathol 2019; 43:248-260. [DOI: 10.1080/01913123.2019.1692119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuwei Fan
- John J. Godleski, MD PLLC, Milton, MA, USA
- Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rick A. Rogers
- Rogers Imaging Corporation, Natick, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John J. Godleski
- John J. Godleski, MD PLLC, Milton, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Pathology Emeritus, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Libby Amphibole Disease: Pulmonary Function and CT Abnormalities in Vermiculite Miners. J Occup Environ Med 2019; 60:167-173. [PMID: 29200190 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article describes radiologic and pulmonary function findings among miners exposed to Libby amphibole. Computed tomography (CT) permits the detection of the characteristic thin, lamellar pleural thickening (LPT). METHODS Individuals who worked at the mine for a minimum of 6 months had chest CT and pulmonary function tests. RESULTS Pleural thickening was noted in 223 (87%) of the 256 miners, parenchymal abnormalities in 49 (19%). LPT, found in 151 (68%), was associated with low values of forced vital capacity and diffusion capacity and significantly lower values in all pulmonary function tests when associated with parenchymal abnormalities. CONCLUSION Eighty-seven percent of miners exposed to Libby Amphibole had pleural abnormalities on CT. LPT alone, and more so with parenchymal abnormalities, resulted in decreased pulmonary function. The importance of this easily missed LPT is demonstrated by its high frequency and significant functional effects.
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Szeinuk J, Noonan CW, Henschke CI, Pfau J, Black B, Miller A, Yankelevitz DF, Liang M, Liu Y, Yip R, Linker L, McNew T, Flores RM. Pulmonary abnormalities as a result of exposure to Libby amphibole during childhood and adolescence-The Pre-Adult Latency Study (PALS). Am J Ind Med 2017; 60:20-34. [PMID: 27859510 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of Pre-Adult Latency Study was to evaluate lung findings among adults who had been environmentally exposed to Libby Amphibole only during childhood and adolescence. METHODS Recruitment was restricted to volunteers who attended primary and/or secondary school, lived in Libby, MT, prior to age 23 years for males and 21 years for females and subsequently left the area. Subjects completed exposure and respiratory questionnaires, underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and chest CT scans. A Pleural Score was calculated for degree and extent of pleural thickening. Logistic regression and multivariate linear regression were used. RESULTS Of the 219 who met inclusion criteria, 198 participated. Pleural thickening was found in 96 (48%) of 198 participants. In almost half of these, it was of the lamellar type, not generally seen in exposure to other asbestos. Environmental Libby amphibole exposure was associated with pleural thickening, and the likelihood of pleural thickening increased with the number of years lived in the area. An inverse association between Pleural Score and PFT was found, which remained significant for FVC and DLco after additional sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS Cumulative environmental exposure was associated with risk of pleural thickening. Among this cohort, quantitative measures of pleural thickening were associated with decreased PFT. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:20-34, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Szeinuk
- Department of Occupational Medicine; Epidemiology and Prevention; North Shore-LIJ Health System; New Hyde Park New York
| | - Curtis W. Noonan
- Center for Environmental Sciences; University of Montana; Missoula Montana
| | | | - Jean Pfau
- Montana State University; Bozeman Montana
| | - Brad Black
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease; Libby Montana
| | - Albert Miller
- Center for Environmental Sciences; University of Montana; Missoula Montana
| | | | - Mingzhu Liang
- Mount Sinai Health System; Icahn School of Medicine; New York New York
| | - Ying Liu
- Mount Sinai Health System; Icahn School of Medicine; New York New York
| | - Rowena Yip
- Mount Sinai Health System; Icahn School of Medicine; New York New York
| | - Laura Linker
- Mount Sinai Health System; Icahn School of Medicine; New York New York
| | - Tracy McNew
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease; Libby Montana
| | - Raja M. Flores
- Mount Sinai Health System; Icahn School of Medicine; New York New York
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Casali M, Carugno M, Cattaneo A, Consonni D, Mensi C, Genovese U, Cavallo DM, Somigliana A, Pesatori AC. Asbestos Lung Burden in Necroscopic Samples from the General Population of Milan, Italy. ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 2015; 59:909-21. [PMID: 25878166 DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mev028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study analysed the asbestos lung burden in necroscopic samples from 55 subjects free from asbestos-related diseases, collected between 2009 and 2011 in Milan, Italy. Multiple lung samples were analysed by light microscopy (asbestos bodies, AB) and EDXA-scanning electron microscopy (asbestos fibres and other inorganic fibres). Asbestos fibres were detected in 35 (63.6%) subjects, with a higher frequency for amphiboles than for chrysotile. Commercial (CA) and non-commercial amphiboles (NCA) were found in roughly similar frequencies. The estimated median value was 0.11 million fibres per gram of dry lung tissue (mf g(-1)) for all asbestos, 0.09 mf g(-1) for amphiboles. In 44 (80.0%) subjects no chrysotile fibres were detected. A negative relationship between asbestos mass-weighted fibre count and year of birth (and a corresponding positive increase with age) was observed for amphiboles [-4.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -5.89 to -2.37], talc (-2.12%, 95% CI = -3.94 to -0.28), and Ti-rich fibres (-3.10%, 95% CI = -5.54 to -0.60), but not for chrysotile (-2.84%, 95% CI = -7.69 to 2.27). Residential district, birthplace, and smoking habit did not affect the lung burden of asbestos or inorganic fibres. Females showed higher burden only for amphiboles (0.12 versus 0.03 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.07) and talc fibres (0.14 versus 0 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.03). Chrysotile fibres were shorter and thinner than amphibole fibres and NCA fibres were thicker than CA ones. The AB prevalence was 16.4% (nine subjects) with concentrations ranging from 10 to 110 AB g(-1) dry, well below the 1000 AB g(-1) threshold for establishing occupational exposure. No AB were found in subjects younger than 30 years. Our study demonstrated detectable levels of asbestos fibres in a sample taken from the general population. The significant increase with age confirmed that amphibole fibres are the most representative of cumulative exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelangelo Casali
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Carugno
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Dario Consonni
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Carolina Mensi
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Genovese
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Anna Somigliana
- 5.Centre of Electron Microscopy, Lombardy Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA), 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Cecilia Pesatori
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Black B, Szeinuk J, Whitehouse AC, Levin SM, Henschke CI, Yankelevitz DF, Flores RM. Rapid progression of pleural disease due to exposure to Libby amphibole: "Not your grandfather's asbestos related disease". Am J Ind Med 2014; 57:1197-206. [PMID: 24898907 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residents and mine employees from Libby, Montana, have been exposed to asbestiform amphiboles from the vermiculite mine that operated in this location from the mid-1920s until 1990. Clinical observations show a different form of asbestos-related toxicity than other forms of asbestos. METHODS Five illustrative cases from the Center for Asbestos-Related Diseases in Libby were selected. All had clear exposure histories, multiple follow-up visits, illustrative chest radiographic studies, serial pulmonary function tests, and sufficient length of follow-up to characterize disease progression. RESULTS These cases developed increasing symptoms of dyspnea and chest pain, progressive radiological changes that were predominantly pleural, and a restrictive pattern of impaired spirometry that rapidly progressed with significant loss of pulmonary function. CONCLUSIONS LA exposure can cause a non-malignant pleural disease that is more rapidly progressive and more severe than the usual asbestos-related disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaime Szeinuk
- Department of Thoracic Surgery; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
| | | | - Stephen M. Levin
- Department of Preventive Medicine; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
| | - Claudia I. Henschke
- Department of Radiology; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
| | - David F. Yankelevitz
- Department of Radiology; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
| | - Raja M. Flores
- Department of Thoracic Surgery; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York New York
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Dodson RF, Mark EJ, Poye LW. Biodurability/Retention of Libby Amphiboles in a Case of Mesothelioma. Ultrastruct Pathol 2013; 38:45-51. [DOI: 10.3109/01913123.2013.821194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Dumortier P, De Vuyst P. Asbestos exposure during uncontrolled removal of sprayed-on asbestos. ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 2011; 56:49-54. [PMID: 22021818 DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mer096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Asbestos-containing materials in place in buildings, especially sprayed-on asbestos, are still an important health threat. Clearance of these materials has to be operated by specifically trained workers wearing specific individual protection suits after containment of the contaminated area. Good work practices are, however, not always applied. We report the case of two workers hired for ∼1 week to remove sprayed-on amosite asbestos during the remodeling of a former industrial hall. Regulatory protective equipments were not used. A legal action was initiated after disclosure of the working conditions. Medical examinations were performed 18 and 22 months after exposure. Workers denied any other asbestos exposure. Lung function tests and chest computed tomography scans were normal. Very high levels of asbestos fibers and bodies were discovered on mineralogical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by phase contrast light microscopy and analytical electron microscopy. All fibers were amosite. An extrapolation considering duration of exposure, breathing pattern, and BALF fiber content suggests that the workers were exposed to airborne fiber concentrations in the range from several tens to about a hundred World Health Organization fibers per milliliter air. In conclusion, exposures to historical airborne fiber levels prevailing half a century ago may still occur today when the work regulations are not applied. In these conditions, even very short exposures may result in considerable lung fiber retention in case of amphibole exposure with the subsequent risk for developing asbestos-related diseases. Fiber analysis in BALF is useful to clarify such exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Dumortier
- Chest Department, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, B1070 Brussels, Belgium.
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Case BW, Abraham JL, Meeker G, Pooley FD, Pinkerton KE. Applying definitions of "asbestos" to environmental and "low-dose" exposure levels and health effects, particularly malignant mesothelioma. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2011; 14:3-39. [PMID: 21534084 PMCID: PMC3118487 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2011.556045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Although asbestos research has been ongoing for decades, this increased knowledge has not led to consensus in many areas of the field. Two such areas of controversy include the specific definitions of asbestos, and limitations in understanding exposure-response relationships for various asbestos types and exposure levels and disease. This document reviews the current regulatory and mineralogical definitions and how variability in these definitions has led to difficulties in the discussion and comparison of both experimental laboratory and human epidemiological studies for asbestos. This review also examines the issues of exposure measurement in both animal and human studies, and discusses the impact of these issues on determination of cause for asbestos-related diseases. Limitations include the lack of detailed characterization and limited quantification of the fibers in most studies. Associated data gaps and research needs are also enumerated in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- B W Case
- Department of Pathology and School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Cline RJW, Orom H, Berry-Bobovski L, Hernandez T, Black CB, Schwartz AG, Ruckdeschel JC. Community-level social support responses in a slow-motion technological disaster: the case of Libby, Montana. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2010; 46:1-18. [PMID: 20526664 PMCID: PMC3779910 DOI: 10.1007/s10464-010-9329-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Social support is an important resource for communities experiencing disasters. However, a disaster's nature (rapid- versus slow-onset, natural versus technological) may influence community-level responses. Disaster research on social support focuses primarily on rapid-onset natural disasters and, to a lesser extent, rapid-onset technological disasters. Little research has addressed slow-onset disasters. This study explores social support processes in Libby, MT, a community experiencing a "slow-motion technological disaster" due to widespread amphibole asbestos exposure. A comprehensive social support coding system was applied to focus-group and in-depth-interview transcripts. Results reveal that, although the community has a history of normative supportiveness during community and individual crises, that norm has been violated in the asbestos disaster context. Results are interpreted as a failure to achieve an "emergent altruistic community." Specifically, community-level conflict appears to interfere with previously established social support patterns. The observed phenomenon can be understood as the deterioration of a previously supportive community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J W Cline
- School of Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
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Vermiculite Worker Mortality: Estimated Effects of Occupational Exposure to Libby Amphibole. J Occup Environ Med 2010; 52:555-60. [DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e3181dc6d45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Smartt AM, Brezinski M, Trapkus M, Gardner D, Putnam EA. Collagen accumulation over time in the murine lung after exposure to crocidolite asbestos or Libby amphibole. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2010; 25:68-76. [PMID: 19219932 DOI: 10.1002/tox.20472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Libby, MT is the site of a closed vermiculite mine that produced ore contaminated with asbestos-like amphiboles. Worldwide distribution of the material and the long latency period for manifestation of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) has created a significant health threat for many years to come. The composition of the Libby material [termed the Libby amphibole (LA)] differs from other well-studied types of asbestos in that it is a mixture of several amphibole fibers. The purpose of this study was to determine the fibrotic effects of LA exposure in a mouse model and to compare these effects to those of a well-characterized amphibole fiber, crocidolite asbestos. We exposed C57Bl/6 mice to LA or crocidolite and analyzed lung RNA, protein, and morphology at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months post instillation. Our results indicate that both forms of amphibole studied induced increased collagen types I and III mRNA expression and collagen protein deposition in exposed murine lungs compared to the PBS-instilled control lungs, and that these collagen increases were the most significant at 1 month after exposure. However, crocidolite-exposed mice demonstrated greater increases in collagen deposition than those exposed to LA, indicating that the fibrotic effects of LA exposure, although not as severe as those of crocidolite in this model system, were still able to induce collagen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Smartt
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA
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Case BW, Abraham JL. Heterogeneity of exposure and attribution of mesothelioma: Trends and strategies in two American counties. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/151/1/012008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Kelly J, Pratt GC, Johnson J, Messing RB. Community Exposure to Asbestos From a Vermiculite Exfoliation Plant in NE Minneapolis. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 18:941-7. [PMID: 16920667 DOI: 10.1080/08958370600834883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Western Mineral Products/W. R. Grace operated a vermiculite plant in a mixed industrial/residential area of northeast Minneapolis from 1936 to 1989. The plant processed vermiculite ore contaminated with amphibole asbestos from a mine in Libby, MT. Air monitoring in the early 1970s found fiber concentrations in excess of 10 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (f/cc), indicating that worker exposure to asbestos was occasionally 100 times the current occupational standard. Residents of the surrounding community also had direct contact with vermiculite processing wastes (containing up to 10% amphibole asbestos) that were made freely available. Children played on waste piles and neighborhood residents hauled the wastes away for home use. In total, 259 contaminated residential properties have been found to date. Reported emission factors and plant process data were used as inputs to model airborne emissions from the plant over several operating scenarios using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ISC-Prime model. Results estimate short-term air concentrations of asbestos fibers in residential areas nearest the plant may have at times exceeded current occupational standards. Exposure estimates for other pathways were derived primarily from assessments done in Libby by the U.S. EPA. The Northeast Minneapolis Community Vermiculite Investigation (NMCVI) was conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health to identify and characterize the exposures of a cohort of over 6000 people who live or lived in Northeast Minneapolis and may have been exposed to asbestos. This cohort is now being investigated in a respiratory health screening study conducted by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Kelly
- Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975, USA.
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Webber JS, Blake DJ, Ward TJ, Pfau JC. Separation and characterization of respirable amphibole fibers from Libby, Montana. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 20:733-40. [PMID: 18569095 DOI: 10.1080/08958370801932544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, was in operation for over 70 yr and was contaminated with asbestos-like amphibole fibers. The mining, processing, and shipping of this vermiculite led to significant fiber inhalation exposure throughout the community, and residents of Libby have developed numerous pulmonary diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. The present study describes the separation of Libby 6-mix into respirable and nonrespirable size fractions by means of aqueous elutriation. The elutriator, designed to separate fibers with aerodynamic diameters smaller than 2.5 microm (respirable) from larger fibers, used an upward flow rate of 3.4 x 10(- 4) cm s(-1). The resultant respirable fraction constituted only 13% of the raw Libby 6-mix mass, and less than 2% of the fibers in the elutriated fraction had aerodynamic diameters exceeding 2.5 microm. Surface area of the elutriated fibers was 5.3 m(- 2) g(-1), compared to 0.53 m(-2) g(-1) for the raw fibers. There were no detectable differences in chemical composition between the larger and smaller fibers. Such harvesting of respirable fractions will allow toxicological studies to be conducted within a controlled laboratory setting, utilizing fiber sizes that may more accurately simulate historical exposure of Libby residents' lungs. Importantly, this work describes a method that allows the use of material enriched in more uniform respirable material than raw Libby 6-mix, making comparisons with other known fiber preparations more valid on a mass basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Webber
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, New York, USA.
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Al-Ghimlas F, Hoffstein V. Pleuroparenchymal lung disease secondary to nonoccupational exposure to vermiculite. Can Respir J 2007; 14:164-6. [PMID: 17464381 PMCID: PMC2676838 DOI: 10.1155/2007/892610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An unusual case of pleuroparenchymal lung disease caused by the inhalation of vermiculite dust, presumably containing asbestos fibers is described. The uniqueness of the case lies in the very indirect nature of exposure -- the wife of a factory owner, rather than a worker exposed to asbestos, whose factory manufactured vermiculite. The present case illustrates the importance of taking careful occupational histories of all household members when presented with a patient whose chest radiograph exhibits features consistent with asbestos exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victor Hoffstein
- Correspondence: Dr Victor Hoffstein, St Michael’s Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8. Telephone 416-864-5516, fax 416-864-5649, e-mail
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Anderson BA, Dearwent SM, Durant JT, Dyken JJ, Freed JA, Moore SM, Wheeler JS. Exposure pathway evaluations for sites that processed asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2005; 208:55-65. [PMID: 15881979 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2005.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is currently evaluating the potential public health impacts associated with the processing of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite at various facilities around the country. Vermiculite ore contaminated with significant levels of asbestos was mined and milled in Libby, Montana, from the early 1920s until 1990. The majority of the Libby ore was then shipped to processing facilities for exfoliation. ATSDR initiated the National Asbestos Exposure Review (NAER) to identify and evaluate exposure pathways associated with these processing facilities. This manuscript details ATSDR's phased approach in addressing exposure potential around these sites. As this is an ongoing project, only the results from a selected set of completed site analyses are presented. Historical occupational exposures are the most significant exposure pathway for the site evaluations completed to date. Former workers also probably brought asbestos fibers home on their clothing, shoes, and hair, and their household contacts may have been exposed. Currently, most site-related worker and community exposure pathways have been eliminated. One community exposure pathway of indeterminate significance is the current exposure of individuals through direct contact with waste rock brought home for personal use as fill material, driveway surfacing, or soil amendment. Trace levels of asbestos are present in soil at many of the sites and buried waste rock has been discovered at a few sites; therefore, future worker and community exposure associated with disturbing on-site soil during construction or redevelopment at these sites is also a potential exposure pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A Anderson
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
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Abstract
Occupational interstitial lung diseases are a diverse group of disorders of varied cause. Occupational causes account for a significant portion of all interstitial lung diseases, and new causes continue to be described. Although some are diseases of antiquity, they continue to occur in the workplace and often are misdiagnosed as "idiopathic" when physicians miss the connection to past-inhaled exposures. All of these diseases are preventable with reduction or elimination of workplace exposure. This article reviews the spectrum of diseases caused by exposure to metal dust and fumes, inorganic fibers, and nonfibrous inorganic dust. It also details an approach to the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of this group of illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig S Glazer
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9034, USA.
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21
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McDonald JC, Harris J, Armstrong B. Mortality in a cohort of vermiculite miners exposed to fibrous amphibole in Libby, Montana. Occup Environ Med 2004; 61:363-6. [PMID: 15031396 PMCID: PMC1740743 DOI: 10.1136/oem.2003.008649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fibrous tremolite is a widespread amphibole asbestiform mineral, airborne fibres of which constitute an environmental hazard in Libby, Montana, northern California, and elsewhere. AIMS To determine excess risk from lung cancer, mesothelioma, and all-cause mortality in a cohort of men exposed to tremolite, but no other form of asbestos. METHODS Mortality by certified cause and various measures of exposure to tremolite and related amphibole fibres was assessed in a cohort of 406 vermiculite mineworkers in Libby, Montana, employed before 1963 and followed until 1999. RESULTS Total deaths were: lung cancer 44 (SMR 2.40), non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) 51 (SMR 3.09), all causes 285 (SMR 1.27); included among the total were 12 deaths ascribed to mesothelioma (4.21% of all deaths). Adjusted linear increments in relative risks (per 100 f/ml.y), estimated by Poisson regression, were: lung cancer (0.36, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.20), NMRD (0.38, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.96), and all deaths (0.14, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.26). CONCLUSIONS The all-cause linear model would imply a 14% increase in mortality for mine workers exposed occupationally to 100 f/ml.y or about 3.2% for a general population exposed for 50 years to an ambient concentration of 0.1 f/ml. Amphibole fibres, tremolite in particular, are likely to be disproportionately responsible for cancer mortality in persons exposed to commercial chrysotile, but to what extent cannot be readily assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C McDonald
- Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
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Peipins LA, Lewin M, Campolucci S, Lybarger JA, Miller A, Middleton D, Weis C, Spence M, Black B, Kapil V. Radiographic abnormalities and exposure to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in the community of Libby, Montana, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2003; 111:1753-9. [PMID: 14594627 PMCID: PMC1241719 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.6346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Mining, handling, processing, and personal or commercial use of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite have led to widespread contamination of the Libby, Montana, area. We initiated a medical testing program in response to reports of respiratory illness in the community. The purpose of this analysis was to identify and quantify asbestos-related radiographic abnormalities among persons exposed to vermiculite in Libby and to examine associations between these outcomes and participants' self-reported exposures. A cross-sectional interview and medical testing were conducted in Libby from July through November 2000 and from July through September 2001. A total of 7,307 persons who had lived, worked, or played in Libby for at least 6 months before 31 December 1990 completed the interview. Of those, 6,668 participants > or = 18 years of age received chest radiographs to assess the prevalence of pleural and interstitial abnormalities. We observed pleural abnormalities in 17.8% of participants and interstitial abnormalities in < 1% of participants undergoing chest radiography. We examined 29 occupational, recreational, household, and other exposure pathways in the analysis. The prevalence of pleural abnormalities increased with increasing number of exposure pathways, ranging from 6.7% for those who reported no apparent exposures to 34.6% for those who reported > or = 12 pathways. The factors most strongly associated with pleural abnormalities were being a former W.R. Grace worker, being older, having been a household contact of a W.R. Grace worker, and being a male. In addition to being a former W.R. Grace worker, environmental exposures and other nonoccupational risk factors were also important predictors of asbestos-related radiographic abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy A Peipins
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA
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Dodson RF, Atkinson MAL, Levin JL. Asbestos fiber length as related to potential pathogenicity: a critical review. Am J Ind Med 2003; 44:291-7. [PMID: 12929149 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.10263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asbestos inhalation is recognized as an exposure that increases the risk for the development of lung disease. It is unique among dusts in that it is both a carcinogen and capable of inducing extrapulmonary responses such as pleural thickening and fibrosis as well as malignancy. One feature of asbestos suggested as crucial in its pathological activity is its fibrous morphology. Long fibers that have been inhaled are cleared less readily and are thus more persistent in the body. Furthermore certain experimental models link fiber length to levels of risks for development of certain diseases. The present review will survey the data on this subject. METHODS The review considers experimental models that have been used to assess the response to various lengths of fibers in animal models in addition to data obtained from studies of human materials. The review also emphasizes the importance in defining the method by which a sample is categorized. RESULTS Data are offered which support the potential for longer fibers as well as shorter fibers to contribute to pathological responses. CONCLUSIONS The data presented argue that asbestos fibers of all lengths induce pathological responses and that caution should be exerted when attempting to exclude any population of inhaled fibers, based on their length, from being contributors to the potential for development of asbestos-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald F Dodson
- The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, 11937 US Highway 271, Tyler, TX 75708, USA.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Vermiculite is a silicate used as an insulating agent, soil additive, and carrier for chemicals and fertilizers. It is currently perceived to have no adverse effects to "end-product" users. An 82-year-old man presented with complaints of progressive dyspnea on exertion. METHODS A clinical evaluation included a chest radiograph, complete pulmonary function testing, CT scan of the thorax, and comprehensive occupational and environmental history. RESULTS The patient had clinical and radiographic features of advanced pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. The presence of calcified pleural plaques, together with the other clinical and radiographic features, strongly supported a diagnosis of asbestosis. His only significant exposure was to vermiculite used in the workplace for several hours per day from 1970 to 1987. CONCLUSIONS This case represents the first report of an end-product vermiculite-user with probable asbestosis, and together with recent similar findings in a vermiculite expansion plant worker, requires further epidemiologic investigations.
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Tobin MJ. Tuberculosis, lung infections, interstitial lung disease, and journalology in AJRCCM 2002. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003; 167:345-55. [PMID: 12554623 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.2212002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Tobin
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois 60141, USA.
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