Fibre type and burden in parenchymal tissues of workers occupationally exposed to asbestos in the United States.
Lung tissues obtained from 53 asbestos-exposed workers, and one person exposed in a domestic setting, were studied. Amosite is the most prevalent fibre, occurring in 74% of the specimens. Amosite is always found in the lungs of insulation workers whereas chrysotile is found in only 50% of this population. Crocidolite has been detected in 24% of the lungs examined, but this increases to 40% in workers with shipyard histories. Exposure to chrysotile is widespread; the fibre has been observed in 61% of the tissues studied. Chrysotile occurs as the lone fibre in about 22% of the tissues examined, but tremolite is present in one-third of these. Fibre consumption data cannot be used as indices of exposure in the workplace; amphibole exposure appears to be product- and job-category-related. The assessment of risk to asbestos disease in the general population of the United States, exposed to chrysotile, should be based on appropriate chrysotile-exposed cohorts.
Langer
A M
AM
Center for Polypeptide and Membrane Research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York.
Nolan
R P
RP
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis*; D017639:Asbestos, Amosite; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D003252:Construction Materials; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000032:analysis*; D012767:Ships; D014481:United States
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D017639:Asbestos, Amosite; D001194:Asbestos