title: Morpho-chemical characterization and surface properties of carcinogenic zeolite fibers.
abstract: Erionite belonging to the zeolite family is a human health-hazard, since it was demonstrated to be carcinogenic. Conversely, offretite family zeolites were suspected carcinogenic. Mineralogical, morphological, chemical, and surface characterizations were performed on two erionites (GF1, MD8) and one offretite (BV12) fibrous samples and, for comparison, one scolecite (SC1) sample. The specific surface area analysis indicated a larger availability of surface sites for the adsorption onto GF1, while SC1 shows the lowest one and the presence of large pores in the poorly fibrous zeolite aggregates. Selected spin probes revealed a high adsorption capacity of GF1 compared to the other zeolites, but the polar/charged interacting sites were well distributed, intercalated by less polar sites (Si-O-Si). MD8 surface is less homogeneous and the polar/charged sites are more interacting and closer to each other compared to GF1. The interacting ability of BV12 surface is much lower than that found for GF1 and MD8 and the probes are trapped in small pores into the fibrous aggregates. In comparison with the other zeolites, the non-carcinogenic SC1 shows a poor interacting ability and a lower surface polarity. These results helped to clarify the chemical properties and the surface interacting ability of these zeolite fibers which may be related to their carcinogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environment Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy. Electronic address: michele.mattioli@uniurb.it.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environment Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.affiliation: Geological Engineering Department, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey & Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environment Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cangiotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environment Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avella
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, 50019 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Rodorico
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department & Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA.
authors.forename: A Umran
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth, Life and Environment Sciences, University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy. Electronic address: maria.ottaviani@uniurb.it.
authors.forename: Maria Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ottaviani
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D033362:Powder Diffraction; D013499:Surface Properties; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; C083174:erionite; D017641:Zeolites
keywords: Carcinogenicity; EPR; Erionite and offretite; Mineral fibers; Surface properties