title: Dissolution of glass wool, rock wool and alkaline earth silicate wool: morphological and chemical changes in fibers.
abstract: The behavior of alkaline earth silicate (AES) wool and of other biosoluble wools in saline solution simulating physiological fluids was compared with that of a traditional wool belonging to synthetic vitreous fibers. Morphological and size changes of fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The elements extracted from fibers were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. SEM analysis showed a larger reduction of length-weighted geometric mean fiber diameter at 4.5 pH than at 7.4 pH. At the 7.4 pH, AES wool showed a higher dissolution rate and a dissolution time less than a few days. Their dissolution was highly non-congruent with rapid leaching of calcium. Unlike rock wool, glass wool dissolved more rapidly at physiological pH than at acid pH. Dissolution of AES and biosoluble rock wool is accompanied by a noticeable change in morphology while by no change for glass wool. Biosoluble rock wool developed a leached surface with porous honeycomb structure. SEM analysis showed the dissolution for glass wool is mainly due to breakage transverse of fiber at pH 7.4. AES dissolution constant (Kdis) was the highest at pH 7.4, while at pH 4.5 only biosoluble rockwool 1 showed a higher Kdis.
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campopiano
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: a.cannizzaro@inail.it.
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angelosanto
authors.affiliation: "La Sapienza", University of Rome, Chemistry Department, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Astolfi
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramires
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olori
authors.affiliation: "La Sapienza", University of Rome, Chemistry Department, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canepari
authors.affiliation: Italian Workers' Compensation Authority, Research Area, Department of Occupational Hygiene, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iavicoli
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D019016:Mineral Fibers; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D019016:Mineral Fibers; D017640:Silicates; D002118:Calcium
keywords: AES wools; Acellular test; Biopersistence; Biosolubility; Dissolution rate; In vitro assessment; Length-weighted geometric mean diameter; Scanning electron microscopy; Synthetic vitreous fibers; Toxicity