Analysis of cores of ferruginous bodies from former asbestos workers

Our plain-English summary of Analysis of cores of ferruginous bodies from former asbestos workers, by R.F. Dodson, M.F. O'Sullivan, M.G. Williams, et al (Environmental Research, 1982).

The study

• Authors: R.F. Dodson, M.F. O'Sullivan, M.G. Williams, G.A. Hurst
• Journal: Environmental Research
• Published: 1982;28(1):171-8
• Cited by: 12 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher
• In J-M's library: Johns-Manville's company medical library held a copy (J-M no. 003674).

In plain English

This laboratory study examined ferruginous bodies, which are fibers coated with iron-containing material, taken from autopsy lung tissue of five people who had formerly worked with amosite asbestos. Their time working in the plant ranged from 16 days to 10 years, 9 months, and all had been cigarette smokers. The authors dissolved the lung tissue, picked out individual bodies, and removed the coating with oxalic acid. They then examined the exposed cores by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. In 442 randomly selected cleaned bodies, the core material was amosite asbestos. No pseudoasbestos bodies were seen. The cores often showed surface irregularities, including etching, fractures, fraying, and bundles of several fibers or fibrils. Separated fibrils formed one fork of two-headed bodies. Most uncoated fibers in the tissue were short and had smoother surfaces with fewer irregularities. Similar complex fiber forms also appeared in bulk amosite treated with water alone or with oxalic acid, which the authors took to mean they occur naturally. The authors concluded that fiber complexity, as well as length, may help determine which inhaled fibers become coated.

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 analysis of autopsy lung tissue using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive analysis, after chemical removal of the coating from isolated ferruginous bodies
• Who was studied: Autopsy lung tissue from five former amosite asbestos workers, all cigarette smokers; 442 randomly selected ferruginous bodies were analyzed
• Exposure: Occupational exposure to amosite asbestos, with work periods in the plant from 16 days to 10 years, 9 months. All individuals had also been cigarette smokers.
• Main results:
  • Electron microscopy and X-ray analysis of 442 randomly selected, cleaned ferruginous bodies showed that the core material was amosite asbestos. The X-ray data matched a bulk amosite sample.
  • No pseudoasbestos bodies (bodies with non-asbestos cores) were seen on light microscopy screening.
  • The cores of coated fibers showed surface irregularities, including etching, fractures, fraying, and multifiber or fibrillar composition.
  • Most uncoated fibers in the lung tissue were short. They had smoother surfaces with fewer irregularities than the coated fibers.
  • Separation of several fibrillar units formed the nucleus of one fork of two-headed ferruginous bodies.
  • Core diameters of the sampled bodies ranged from 0.19 to 1.1 micrometres.
  • Similar complex, irregular fiber forms were found in both water-treated and oxalic acid-treated bulk amosite. The authors therefore said these forms occur in the natural state.
  • The filters from digested tissue also contained numerous free fibers, some diatomaceous fragments, and granular alumino silicate material.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the complexity of fiber shape, and not only fiber length, may be a significant factor in which inhaled fibers become coated with ferruginous material.

Topics

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

Related studies

• Ferruginous bodies and pulmonary fibrosis in dead low to moderately exposed asbestos cement workers: histological examination — L.G. Johansson, M.P. Albin, et al. (1987)
• Ferruginous bodies as markers of environmental exposure to inorganic particles: experience with 270 autopsy cases in Mexico — F.J. Arenas-Huertero, M. Salazar-Flores, et al. (1994)
• A comparison of the ferruginous body and uncoated fiber content in the lungs of former asbestos workers — R.F. Dodson, M.G. Williams, et al. (1985)
• Asbestos and other ferruginous bodies: their formation and clinical significance — A.M. Churg, M.L. Warnock (1981)
• Method for removing the ferruginous coating from asbestos bodies — R.F. Dodson, M.G. Williams, et al. (1983)
• A procedure for the isolation of amosite asbestos and ferruginous bodies from lung tissue and sputum — M.G. Williams, R.F. Dodson, et al. (1982)

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