Publication
Title
Health implications of atmospheric aerosols from asbestos-bearing road pavements traditionally used in Southern Brazil
Author
Abstract
Serpentine and amphibole asbestos occur naturally in certain geologic settings worldwide, most commonly in association with ultramafic rocks, along associated faults. Ultramafic rocks have been used in Pin County, Southern Brazil for decades for the purpose of road paving in rural and urban areas, but without the awareness of their adverse environmental and health impact. The aim of this study was the chemical characterization of aerosols re-suspended in two rural roads of Pin, paved with ultramafic rocks and to estimate the pulmonary deposition of asbestos aerosols. Bulk aerosol samples were analyzed by means of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis, in order to characterize elemental composition and crystallinity. Single-particle compositions of aerosols were analyzed by computer-controlled electron-probe microanalysis, indicating the presence of a few percentages of serpentine and amphibole. Given the chemical composition and size distribution of aerosol particles, the deposition efficiency of chrysotile, a sub-group of serpentine, in two principal segments of the human respiratory system was estimated using a lung deposition model. As an important finding, almost half of the inhaled particles were calculated to be deposited in the respiratory system. Asbestos depositions were significant (similar to 25 %) in the lower airways, even though the selected breathing conditions (rest situation, nose breathing) implied the lowest rate of respiratory deposition. Considering the fraction of inhalable suspended chrysotile near local roads, and the long-term exposure of humans to these aerosols, chrysotile may represent a hazard, regarding more frequent development of lung cancer in the population of the exposed region.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - Landsberg
Source (book)
1st International Caparica Conference on Pollutant Toxic Ions and, Molecules (PTIM), 2015, Caparica, PORTUGAL
Publication
Heidelberg : Springer heidelberg , 2016
ISSN
0944-1344 [print]
1614-7499 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11356-016-7586-0
Volume/pages
23 :24 (2016) , p. 25180-25190
ISI
000389301700060
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 10.01.2017
Last edited 09.10.2023
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