An estimate of the rate at which crocidolite asbestos fibres are cleared from the lung.
The cumulative fibre exposure of 36 deceased persons who had been employed on crocidolite asbestos mines of the NW Cape was compared with their lung burden determined by fibre count by optical microscope. Allowance for the period which lapsed between date of last exposure and death revealed a lung clearance rate amounting to a half-life of about 6 years.
Du Toit
R S
RS
National Centre for Occupational Health, Department of Health and Population Development, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis*; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008433:Mathematics; D008906:Mining; D016273:Occupational Exposure
D001194:Asbestos