title: Potential carcinogenic erionite from Lessini Mounts, NE Italy: Morphological, mineralogical and chemical characterization.
abstract: Exposure of humans to erionite fibers of suitable morphology and dimension has been unambiguously linked to the occurrence of malignant mesothelioma. For this reason, a morphological, morphometrical, mineralogical, and chemical investigation was performed on two representative samples of potential carcinogenic, fibrous erionite from Lessini Mounts, northeastern (NE) Italy, which has not apparently been examined previously. The first sample is erionite-Ca with an extremely ﬁbrous, hair-like and flexible appearance, and growth in intimate association with levyne. The second sample is erionite-Ca with prismatic to acicular crystals and rigid behavior, enriched in K(+) and Ca(2+) extra-framework cations. Although erionite is a nominally Fe-free phase, iron (Fe) was detected in low amounts in all the analyzed crystals. In both the investigated samples, erionite is present as individual fibers of respirable size. Considering that the toxicity and carcinogenic potential of erionite is associated with its size parameters, together with its in vivo durability and high surface area, most of the investigated fibers may also be potentially carcinogenic. The presence of erionite in extensively quarried and largely employed volcanic rocks, suggesting the need for detailed health-based studies in the region.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pure and Applied Sciences , University of Urbino Carlo Bo , Urbino , Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pure and Applied Sciences , University of Urbino Carlo Bo , Urbino , Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.affiliation: b Geological Engineering Department , Hacettepe University , Beytepe , Ankara , Turkey.|c Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa , Iowa City , Iowa , USA.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: c Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, University of Iowa , Iowa City , Iowa , USA.|d Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department , University of Iowa , Iowa City , Iowa , USA.
authors.forename: Ahmet Umran
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Dogan
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D007558:Italy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D017641:Zeolites / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; C083174:erionite; D017641:Zeolites