title: Bioweathering of chrysotile by fungi isolated in ophiolitic sites.
abstract: Asbestos minerals are commonly found in serpentine rocks and because of the hazard to human health, research has recently focused on possible detoxification strategies. Some fungal species that inhabit serpentine sites (two disused chrysotile asbestos mines in the Western Alps) have been isolated and characterized in order to obtain data on their biodiversity and bioweathering abilities on chrysotile fibres. The three dominant species (Verticillium leptobactrum, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Aspergillus fumigatus) have proved to be able to actively remove iron from chrysotile fibres, V. leptobactrum being the most efficient. A wide range of serpentinicolous fungi release siderophores, iron-chelating compounds, that could play a role in iron extraction from fibres. Iron removal had been correlated previously with a decrease in the toxic potential of fibres, and a biotechnological application of fungi can be envisaged for asbestos detoxification.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Centre G. Scansetti for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daghino
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vurro
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomatis
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Girlanda
authors.forename: Bice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fubini
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perotto
mesh_terms: D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D010143:Paecilomyces / Q000378:metabolism; D017262:Siderophores / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020172:Verticillium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017632:Asbestos, Serpentine; D002614:Chelating Agents; D017262:Siderophores; D007501:Iron