title: [Mount Reventino greenstone: assessment of tremolite fibre dispersion in the workplace].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mount Reventino, a massif located in the Calabria Region of Italy, has several ophiolite outcrops of greenstone. These deposits are an important economical resource in the surrounding area. Some rock layers contain tremolite, a type of asbestos fibre.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to analyze the chemical and physical structure of the outcrops of Mount Reventino, and to assess and reduce the risk to workers associated with exposure to airborne fibres.
  
  
  METHODS
  Personal and environmental samples were collected and analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of samples showed a difference in mineralogical features not only between the quarries under study, but also between the two opposite sides of the mountain. Exploitation of the quarries produces a fibre dispersion that is higher than the natural emission. Occupational exposure to asbestos fibres during greenstone transformation was confirmed by by the results of analysis of the collected samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study made it possible to identify working activities with highest exposure to asbestos and establish the correct procedures to abate fibre dispersion, in order to reduce the correlated risk. Environmental samples collected in the urban area surrounding the quarries showed that the asbestos fibre concentrations were very low, however, further studies are needed in order to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: ISPESL, Centro Ricerche Lamezia Terme (CZ). margherita_falcone@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Capone
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tarzia
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campopiano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iannò
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macrì
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; C005846:tremolite