Asbestiform minerals in ophiolitic rocks of Calabria (southern Italy)

Our plain-English summary of Asbestiform minerals in ophiolitic rocks of Calabria (southern Italy), by A. Campopiano, A. Olori, A. Spadafora, et al (International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2018).

The study

• Authors: A. Campopiano, A. Olori, A. Spadafora, M. Rosaria Bruno, F. Angelosanto, A. Iannò, S. Casciardi, R. Giardino, M. Conte, T. Oranges, S. Iavicoli
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Health Research
• Published: 2018;28(2):134-146
• Cited by: 7 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Ophiolitic rocks cropping on Calabria territory, southern Italy, can hold asbestiform minerals potentially harmful for human health. The aim of this work was to detect the fibrous phases of ophiolites along the Coastal Chain of northern Calabria and southern part of the Sila massif. Above 220 massive samples were collected in the study areas and analyzed using optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry. The main fibrous constituent belonged to tremolite-actinolite series followed by fibrous antigorite that becomes more abundant in the samples collected in Reventino Mount surroundings. Results highlighted that serpentinites samples mainly consisted of antigorite and minor chrysotile. Samples collected along the coastal chain of northern Calabria did not hold fibrous materials. The results will be useful for Italian natural occurrences of asbestos (NOA) mapping in order to avoid an unintentional exposition by human activity or weathering processes.

In plain English

This was a geological survey of rock, not a study of people's health. The authors collected over 220 greenstone samples from ophiolitic rock outcrops in Calabria, southern Italy. They sampled road cuts, active and inactive quarries, and places near villages in four study areas: two along the coastal chain of northern Calabria and two in the southern Sila massif around Reventino Mount. They examined the samples with optical and electron microscopes, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. In areas 3 and 4, samples from Conflenti, Platania, San Mango D'Aquino, Martirano Lombardo and Gimigliano contained tremolite, fibrous antigorite and minor chrysotile. The main fibrous mineral belonged to the tremolite-actinolite series. Long tremolite fibers were seen in samples from abandoned quarries near Gimigliano and Platania. Along the coastal chain, most area 1 samples held no fibrous minerals. However, the article's table lists tremolite at Belmonte-Calabro and Amantea and minor antigorite at Belvedere M.mo. The authors concluded that the results will help Italian mapping of naturally occurring asbestos. They said too little is known about whether fibrous antigorite is a health risk, and they recommended a precautionary approach.

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: Field survey with laboratory mineralogical analysis of rock samples (stereomicroscope, phase contrast optical microscopy, SEM with EDS, XRD, FTIR, and TEM for some samples)
• Who was studied: Over 220 greenstone (ophiolitic rock) samples from outcrops in Calabria, southern Italy. Areas 1 and 2 lie along the coastal chain of northern Calabria; areas 3 and 4 lie in the southern Sila massif around Reventino Mount. Samples came from road cuts, active and inactive quarries, and sites near villages. Collection dates are not given.
• Exposure: No human exposure was studied. The study looked for fibrous minerals (tremolite-actinolite series, antigorite, chrysotile) in two rock types: metabasites and serpentinites.
• Main results:
  • In areas 3 and 4 (Reventino Mount surroundings), the table lists tremolite, antigorite and minor chrysotile at Conflenti (35 samples), Platania (22), San Mango D'Aquino (22), Martirano Lombardo (18) and Gimigliano (50). It lists no fibrous minerals at Nocera Terinese (4 samples).
  • The main fibrous constituent belonged to the tremolite-actinolite series, followed by fibrous antigorite. Fibrous antigorite was more abundant at Conflenti, Gimigliano, Martirano Lombardo and San Mango D'Aquino.
  • Asbestiform chrysotile was detected but was less common. Serpentinite samples mainly consisted of fibrous antigorite and minor chrysotile.
  • Long tremolite fibers were observed in samples from abandoned quarries near the villages of Gimigliano and Platania (areas 3 and 4).
  • Along the coastal chain, most samples in area 1 held no fibrous materials. Table 1 lists minor antigorite at Belvedere M.mo (area 1, 9 samples) and tremolite at Belmonte-Calabro and Amantea (area 2, 9 samples each).
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the results will be useful for Italian mapping of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA). They stated that existing toxicological studies are not sufficient to tell whether fibrous antigorite poses a health risk like regulated asbestos minerals. They recommended a precautionary approach, noting that this mineral is not recognized in most asbestos regulation, and said local public health authorities should act prudently in areas where fibrous minerals were found.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • In some samples chrysotile was difficult to detect because the amount was very low.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Actinolite, Chrysotile, Tremolite.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Asbestiform, Ophiolite, Tremolite-Actinolite Series, fibrous antigorite, Serpentinite, Antigorite, Chrysotile.

Related studies

• Ophiolitic outcrops, naturally occurring asbestos exposure and mortality risk from malignant mesothelioma in Calabria (Southern Italy) — A. Scarselli, A. Marinaccio, et al. (2021)
• Potential toxicity of nonregulated asbestiform minerals: balangeroite from the western Alps. Part 1: Identification and characterization — C. Groppo, M. Tomatis, et al. (2005)
• Pulmonary fibrosis in workers exposed to non-asbestiform tremolite asbestos minerals — H.Y. Yang, R.H. Shie, et al. (2013)
• Mineral phases and some reexamined characteristics of the International Union Against Cancer standard asbestos samples — N. Kohyama, Y. Shinohara, et al. (1996)
• Potential toxicity of nonregulated asbestiform minerals: balangeroite from the western Alps. Part 2: Oxidant activity of the fibers — F. Turci, M. Tomatis, et al. (2005)
• The effect of weathering on ecopersistence, reactivity, and potential toxicity of naturally occurring asbestos and asbestiform minerals — S. Enrico Favero-Longo, F. Turci, et al. (2009)

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