title: Fibre type and concentration in the lungs of workers in an asbestos cement factory.
abstract: The predominant asbestos fibre type used in the production of asbestos cement is chrysotile. The use of asbestos in relation to fibre type in a Norwegian asbestos cement plant during 1942-80 was 91.7% chrysotile, 3.1% amosite, 4.1% crocidolite, and 1.1% anthophyllite respectively. Electron microscopy and x ray microanalysis of lung tissue samples of asbestos cement workers who had died of malignant pleural mesothelioma or bronchogenic carcinoma showed a completely inverse ratio with regard to fibre type. The percentage of chrysotile asbestos in lung tissue varied between 0% and 9% whereas the corresponding numbers for the amphiboles were 76% and 99%. These differences are discussed with respect to the behaviour of different fibre types in the human body and to the occurrence of malignant mesothelioma in this asbestos cement factory.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D017639:Asbestos, Amosite; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000032:analysis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite; D017639:Asbestos, Amosite; D001194:Asbestos; C025965:anthophyllite; D012822:Silicon Dioxide