Fibre type and concentration in the lungs of workers in an asbestos cement factory

Our plain-English summary of Fibre type and concentration in the lungs of workers in an asbestos cement factory, by B. Gylseth, G. Mowé, A. Wannag (British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1983).

The study

• Authors: B. Gylseth, G. Mowé, A. Wannag
• Journal: British Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Published: 1983;40(4):375-9
• Cited by: 43 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text
• In J-M's library: Johns-Manville's company medical library held a copy (J-M no. 000610).

Abstract

The predominant asbestos fibre type used in the production of asbestos cement is chrysotile. The use of asbestos in relation to fibre type in a Norwegian asbestos cement plant during 1942-80 was 91.7% chrysotile, 3.1% amosite, 4.1% crocidolite, and 1.1% anthophyllite respectively. Electron microscopy and x ray microanalysis of lung tissue samples of asbestos cement workers who had died of malignant pleural mesothelioma or bronchogenic carcinoma showed a completely inverse ratio with regard to fibre type. The percentage of chrysotile asbestos in lung tissue varied between 0% and 9% whereas the corresponding numbers for the amphiboles were 76% and 99%. These differences are discussed with respect to the behaviour of different fibre types in the human body and to the occurrence of malignant mesothelioma in this asbestos cement factory.

In plain English

This study looked at a Norwegian asbestos cement factory that operated from 1942 to 1980. Factory records showed that of the asbestos used, 91.7% was chrysotile, 3.1% amosite and 4.1% crocidolite, with the small remainder anthophyllite. Anthophyllite was used only from 1942 to 1945. The authors used electron microscopy to identify fibres in lung tissue from four workers with malignant pleural mesothelioma and four with bronchogenic carcinoma. Although chrysotile made up most of the asbestos used, it made up only 0% to 9% of the fibres found in the lungs. Amphibole fibres made up 76% to 99%, excluding one case, a man who worked for a construction company inside the factory area. Three workers employed since 1942 had anthophyllite fibres in their lungs; in one, anthophyllite was 70% of the fibres. The authors suggested the difference might reflect how fibre types are cleared from, penetrate and last in the lung. They stated that lung chrysotile counts reflect neither the total dose inhaled nor the exposure level. They concluded that past use of crocidolite and amosite had probably contributed to the high number of malignant mesotheliomas at this plant.

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: Lung tissue fibre analysis (electron microscopy and x ray microanalysis) in eight cases, compared with factory records of asbestos use and exposure
• Who was studied: Eight workers from a Norwegian asbestos cement factory that operated from 1942 to 1980: four with malignant pleural mesothelioma and four with bronchogenic carcinoma. Tissue came from necropsy or lobectomy.
• Exposure: Asbestos used at the factory 1942-80: 91.7% chrysotile, 3.1% amosite and 4.1% crocidolite, with the small remainder anthophyllite (the anthophyllite figure is damaged by scanning in the text). Anthophyllite was used only from 1942 to 1945.
• Main results:
  • In the eight lung samples, chrysotile was 0% to 9% of all fibres. Amphiboles were 76% to 99% (excluding case 5).
  • Case 5 was not employed by the asbestos cement company but worked for a construction company inside the factory area.
  • Cases 1, 4 and 8, employed since 1942, had anthophyllite fibres in their lungs. In case 8, anthophyllite was 70% of the fibres.
  • The authors stated that the high amounts of amphibole fibres in the lungs indicated considerable exposure over many years, especially in the mesothelioma cases.
  • Company measurements from 1972 to 1980 found fibre concentrations up to 13 fibres/cm3 during sacking operations. After 1973, exposures were generally lower than 5 fibres/cm3.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the factory's previous consumption of crocidolite and amosite had probably contributed to the high number of malignant mesotheliomas in this plant.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors stated that the number of chrysotile fibres in lung tissue reflects neither the total asbestos dose inhaled nor the exposure level.
  • In case 5, 36% of fibres could only be classified as "others" because other particles interfered with the x ray microanalysis.
  • Anthophyllite was found in workers employed after anthophyllite use ended. The authors said its origin was uncertain: contamination of other asbestos types, or unknown exposure.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Amosite, Anthophyllite, Chrysotile, Crocidolite.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Asbestos-Cement, Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Anthophyllite, Pleural Mesothelioma, Bronchogenic Carcinoma, Amphibole Group.

Related studies

• Mineral fibres, fibrosis, and asbestos bodies in lung tissue from deceased asbestos cement workers — M. Albin, L. Johansson, et al. (1990)
• Retention patterns of asbestos fibres in lung tissue among asbestos cement workers — M. Albin, F.D. Pooley, et al. (1994)
• The analysis of asbestos count data with "nondetects": the example of asbestos fiber concentrations in the lungs of brake workers — M.M. Finkelstein (2013)
• Lung function among asbestos cement factory workers: cross-sectional and longitudinal study — A. Siracusa, C. Cicioni, et al. (1984)
• Mortality of workers in a French asbestos cement factory 1940-82 — A.M. Alies-Patin, A.J. Valleron (1985)
• Correlation between fibre content of the lung and disease in east London asbestos factory workers — J.C. Wagner, M.L. Newhouse, et al. (1988)

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