A procedure for the isolation of amosite asbestos and ferruginous bodies from lung tissue and sputum

Our plain-English summary of A procedure for the isolation of amosite asbestos and ferruginous bodies from lung tissue and sputum, by M.G. Williams, R.F. Dodson, C. Corn, et al (Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 1982).

The study

• Authors: M.G. Williams, R.F. Dodson, C. Corn, G.A. Hurst
• Journal: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
• Published: 1982;10(4-5):627-38
• Cited by: 66 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

A comprehensive scheme is described for isolating amosite asbestos and ferruginous bodies from fixed and unfixed human lung tissue and sputum. This qualitative procedure avoids many of the problems associated with previous isolation techniques and illustrates the advantages of brief bleach digestions. The samples are digested in prefiltered Wright laundry bleach (9.2% sodium hypochlorite), collected on 0.2-microns Nucleopore filters by vacuum filtration, rinsed with distilled water and absolute ethanol, and examined visually for excessive residue. If organic residues are suspected or are known to occur, the sample is treated sequentially with 2% potassium permanganate, 8% oxalic acid, and 9.2% sodium hypochlorite, and rinsed with distilled water and absolute ethanol. The ethanol, potassium permanganate, and oxalic acid steps can be repeated as often as needed until the desired sample volume has been filtered. The entire procedure allows large volumes to be filtered and yields filters that have extremely clean backgrounds. Filtration can be completed in as little as 15 min, as opposed to the hours or days recommended for other procedures. The technique is applicable to specimens fixed in Saccomanno's fixative or glutaraldehyde, and to those in an unfixed state. The procedure does not appear to damage the gross morphology of the amosite fibers, and it does not produce a detectable change in their elemental composition when determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.

In plain English

This 1982 laboratory methods paper described a qualitative procedure for isolating amosite asbestos fibers and ferruginous bodies from human lung tissue and sputum so they could be examined by light and electron microscopy. Samples were briefly digested in laundry bleach (9.2% sodium hypochlorite) and collected on fine filters. If organic residue remained, they were cleaned with potassium permanganate, oxalic acid and more bleach. Specimens came from people with no known asbestos exposure, from routine sputum samples of members of the Tyler Asbestos Worker's Program, and from autopsies of former asbestos workers. The authors reported that the protocol gave residue-free filters for all 45 sputum and 15 lung tissue samples tested. In tests on commercial amosite, treated and untreated fibers showed no apparent difference in elemental composition. On equal filter areas, 510 treated and 471 untreated fibers were counted, a difference of 8%. Fiber and asbestos body appearance seemed unchanged. The authors concluded that the method is very sensitive and quick. They noted that their X-ray comparison was empirical rather than quantitative.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Laboratory methods paper describing and testing a qualitative procedure for isolating asbestos fibers and ferruginous bodies from tissue and sputum
• Who was studied: Human sputum and lung tissue specimens in two groups. The first group came from individuals with no known asbestos exposure. The second group came from the Tyler Asbestos Worker's Program (TAWP) and from autopsies of former asbestos workers. The TAWP sputa were 30 fixed in glutaraldehyde, 6 in ethanol-Carbowax, and 4 unfixed. The protocol was tested on 45 sputum and 15 lung tissue samples in total. Mouse brain and spleen digests were also processed.
• Exposure: Amosite asbestos. Commercial amosite fibers and amosite asbestos bodies served as controls to test the effects of the reagents. Ground amosite was exposed to bleach for 6 hours and then put through the complete procedure.
• Main results:
  • The protocol yielded filters free of residue in every one of the 45 sputum and 15 human lung tissue samples tested.
  • Plotted magnesium, silicon and iron ratios showed no apparent difference in elemental composition between untreated and treated amosite fibers.
  • On equal areas of two filters, 510 treated and 471 untreated amosite fibers were counted, a difference of 8%.
  • A 0.25 g bulk sample of amosite showed no weight change after the procedure.
  • Amosite fibers and asbestos bodies appeared unchanged by the reagents, and no etching was observed.
  • One sputum sample from a person with a history of allergy formed residue after 15 minutes in bleach. The problem was avoided when the bleach digestion was cut to 5 minutes.
  • The complete procedure usually took less than 1 hour and often 15 minutes.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that, because the filters are clean and large volumes can be filtered, the method is very sensitive and will give accurate results even with low or short exposure or small amounts of material.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The elemental composition comparison was empirical, because the authors' X-ray analyzer was not equipped for quantitative analysis.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Amosite, Ferruginous Bodies, Sputum.

Related studies

• A method for extracting ferruginous bodies from sputum and pulmonary tissue — M.J. Smith, B. Naylor (1972)
• A procedure for the isolation of asbestos bodies from lung tissue by exploiting their magnetic properties: a new approach to asbestos body study — V. Borelli, C. Brochetta, et al. (2007)
• Perls' Prussian Blue Stains of Lung Tissue, Bronchoalveolar Lavage, and Sputum — A.J. Ghio, V.L. Roggli (2021)
• Sputum asbestos bodies and radiographic changes in residents of Wittenoom, Western Australia — A.W. Musk, J.E. Baker, et al. (1983)
• The clinical significance of ferruginous bodies in sputa — J.W. McLarty, S.D. Greenberg, et al. (1980)
• Asbestos bodies in the sputum of asbestos workers: correlation with occupational exposure — C. Paris, F. Galateau-Salle, et al. (2002)

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