title: Assessment of asbestos exposure during a simulated agricultural activity in the proximity of the former asbestos mine of Balangero, Italy.
abstract: The natural occurrence of asbestos (NOA) in rural areas is a serious concern for human health and the dispersion route of asbestos in the proximity of natural asbestos-rich settings has been marginally evaluated so far. NOA may affect air, but also water and soil quality. In rural areas population may be exposed to asbestos with a largely unknown impact on human health. This work investigates the potential exposure of a farmer cultivating a field nearby the largest former asbestos mine of Western Europe (Balangero, Italy). The concentration of waterborne asbestos in the stream used to water the field was measured (ca. 2×10(5) fibers per liter, ff/L) and the cultivated ultramafic topsoil characterized, evidencing a remarkable occurrence of chrysotile. The worker's personal exposure and the environmental fiber dispersion during a simulated agricultural activity (tillage) were quantified in two independent trials. During the trials, the worker was exposed to average concentrations of 16 and 26 ff/L, with a peak of 40 ff/L. These data inform about the possible exposure of an agricultural worker to asbestos concentration higher than the accepted threshold of 2 ff/L. The release of asbestos fibers into the environment was negligible (0-2 ff/L).
authors: "G. Scansetti" Interdepartmental Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, Italy; Dipartimento di Chimica, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.turci@unito.it.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Turci
authors: "G. Scansetti" Interdepartmental Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors: Sergio Enrico
authors: SE
authors: Favero-Longo
authors: "G. Scansetti" Interdepartmental Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, University of Torino, Viale Mattioli 25, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Gazzano
authors: "G. Scansetti" Interdepartmental Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University of Torino, Italy; Dipartimento di Chimica, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Tomatis
authors: Rsa Srl, Viale Copperi 15, Balangero (TO), Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Gentile-Garofalo
authors: Rsa Srl, Viale Copperi 15, Balangero (TO), Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Bergamini
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008906:Mining; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D001194:Asbestos
keywords: Chrysotile; Natural occurrence of asbestos (NOA); Personal exposure; Ultramafic soil; Waterborne asbestos