Environmental Science & Technology

Our medical research library holds 28 studies published in Environmental Science & Technology (2001–2022). Each entry links to the study's record on PubMed and, where there is one, to the publisher's page and a free full text. 26 have an abstract, the authors' own summary as PubMed records it: open "Abstract" to read it.

About the journal

• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Published: 1967 to the present, United States
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0013-936X (print), 1520-5851 (electronic)
• Absorbed: Environmental Buyers' Guide
• Its record in the NLM Catalog

2020s

• Time to Break the "Lock-In" Impediments to Chemicals Management. J. Blumenthal, M.L. Diamond, M. Hoffmann, et al. 2022;56(7):3863-3870. PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

  Abstract

  Despite enormous national, regional, and global efforts on chemical management, the widespread use of hazardous chemicals continues in many parts of the world even after decades of there being well-known risks to public and/or ecosystem health. This continued supply and use, despite strong evidence of negative impacts, is not unique to chemicals management. In the field of climate change, the concept of "lock-in" has been used to explain the complex interactions among economic, social, technological, and political dynamics that reinforce global reliance on the extraction and use of fossil fuels. Learning from carbon "lock-in" phenomena, this Perspective explores the challenges of chemicals management from the perspective of lock-in through three case studies: paraquat, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and asbestos. These case studies illustrate that most current chemicals management frameworks fail to address the concerns arising from this complex interplay by not involving all relevant stakeholder groups that are part of lock-in, from producers to consumers. This results in a relatively narrow consideration (e.g., only demand but not supply) of the effectiveness and consequences of regulations. We submit that to break lock-in and address the global threat of chemical pollution, current approaches to managing hazardous chemicals should be broadened to take a comprehensive approach to understanding and managing factors contributing to lock-in, notably both supply and demand on national and international scales.

• Management of Asbestos Containing Materials: A Detailed LCA Comparison of Different Scenarios Comprising First Time Asbestos Characterization Factor Proposal. M. Pini, S. Scarpellini, R. Rosa, et al. 2021;55(18):12672-12682. PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

  Abstract

  This work addresses the complex issue of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) management, by focusing on the scenario of six municipalities comprised in the Reggio Emilia province of Emilia Romagna Italian region. Particularly, the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied in order to assess in a quantitative and reliable manner the human toxicity as well as the ecotoxicity impacts associated with all of the different phases of ACMs management. The latter comprises mapping of ACMs, creation of a risk map for defining priority of intervention, encapsulation and removal of ACMs, as well as the as obtained asbestos containing waste (ACW) end of life. Particularly, a thermal inertisation treatment performed in a continuous industrial furnace was considered as the innovative end of life scenario to be compared with what actually was provided by the legislation of many countries worldwide, that is, the disposal of ACW in a controlled landfill for hazardous wastes. A characterization factor for asbestos fibers released both in outdoor air and in occupational setting was proposed for the first time and included in the USEtox 2.0 impact assessment method. This allowed us to reliably and quantitatively highlight that inertisation treatments should be the preferred solutions to be adopted by local and national authorities, especially if the obtained inert material finds application as secondary raw materials, thus contributing to a decrease in the environmental damage (limited to its toxicological contributions) to be associated with asbestos management.

2010s

• Atmospheric Carbon Mineralization in an Industrial-Scale Chrysotile Mining Waste Pile. A. Nowamooz, J.C. Dupuis, G. Beaudoin, et al. 2018;52(14):8050-8057. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Magnesium-rich minerals that are abundant in ultramafic mining waste have the potential to be used as a safe and permanent sequestration solution for carbon dioxide (CO2). Our understanding of thermo-hydro-chemical regimes that govern this reaction at an industrial scale, however, has remained an important challenge to its widespread implementation. Through a year-long monitoring experiment performed at a 110 Mt chrysotile waste pile, we have documented the existence of two distinct thermo-hydro-chemical regimes that control the ingress of CO2 and the subsequent mineral carbonation of the waste. The experimental results are supported by a coupled free-air/porous media numerical flow and transport model that provides insights into optimization strategies to increase the efficiency of mineral sequestration at an industrial scale. Although functioning passively under less-than-optimal conditions compared to laboratory-scale experiments, the 110 Mt Thetford Mines pile is nevertheless estimated to be sequestering up to 100 tonnes of CO2 per year, with a potential total carbon capture capacity under optimal conditions of 3 Mt. Annually, more than 100 Mt of ultramafic mine waste suitable for mineral carbonation is generated by the global mining industry. Our results show that this waste material could become a safe and permanent carbon sink for diffuse sources of CO2.

• Microbially Accelerated Carbonate Mineral Precipitation as a Strategy for in Situ Carbon Sequestration and Rehabilitation of Asbestos Mine Sites. J. McCutcheon, S. Wilson, G. Southam. 2016;50(3):1419-27. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  A microbially accelerated process for the precipitation of carbonate minerals was implemented in a sample of serpentinite mine tailings collected from the abandoned Woodsreef Asbestos Mine in New South Wales, Australia as a strategy to sequester atmospheric CO2 while also stabilizing the tailings. Tailings were leached using sulfuric acid in reaction columns and subsequently inoculated with an alkalinity-generating cyanobacteria-dominated microbial consortium that was enriched from pit waters at the Woodsreef Mine. Leaching conditions that dissolved 14% of the magnesium from the serpentinite tailings while maintaining circumneutral pH (1800 ppm, pH 6.3) were employed in the experiment. The mineralogy, water chemistry, and microbial colonization of the columns were characterized following the experiment. Micro-X-ray diffraction was used to identify carbonate precipitates as dypingite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·5H2O] and hydromagnesite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O] with minor nesquehonite (MgCO3·3H2O). Scanning electron microscopy revealed that carbonate mineral precipitates form directly on the filamentous cyanobacteria. These findings demonstrate the ability of these organisms to generate localized supersaturating microenvironments of high concentrations of adsorbed magnesium and photosynthetically generated carbonate ions while also acting as nucleation sites for carbonate precipitation. This study is the first step toward implementing in situ carbon sequestration in serpentinite mine tailings via microbial carbonate precipitation reactions.

• In Situ Liquid Cell Observations of Asbestos Fiber Diffusion in Water. L. Wu, C. Ortiz, Y. Xu, et al. 2015;49(22):13340-9. PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

  Abstract

  We present real-time observations of the diffusion of individual asbestos fibers in water. We first scaled up a technique for fluorescent tagging and imaging of chrysotile asbestos fibers and prepared samples with a distribution of fiber lengths ranging from 1 to 20 μm. Experiments were then conducted by placing a 20, 100, or 150 ppm solution of these fibers in a liquid cell mounted on a spinning-disk confocal microscope. Using automated elliptical-particle detection methods, we determined the translation and rotation and two-dimensional (2D) trajectories of thousands of diffusing chrysotile fibers. We find that fiber diffusion is size-dependent and in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions for the Brownian motion of rods. This agreement is remarkable given that experiments involved non-idealized particles at environmentally relevant concentrations in a confined cell, in which particle-particle and particle-wall interactions might be expected to cause deviations from theory. Experiments also confirmed that highly elongated chrysotile fibers exhibit anisotropic diffusion at short time scales, a predicted effect that may have consequences for aggregate formation and transport of asbestos in confined spaces. The examined fibers vary greatly in their lengths and were prepared from natural chrysotile. Our findings thus indicate that the diffusion rates of a wide range of natural colloidal particles can be predicted from theory, so long as the particle aspect ratio is properly taken into account. This is an important first step for understanding aggregate formation and transport of non-spherical contaminant particles, in the environment and in vivo.

• Microwave-driven asbestos treatment and its scale-up for use after natural disasters. S. Horikoshi, T. Sumi, S. Ito, et al. 2014;48(12):6882-90. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Asbestos-containing debris generated by the tsunami after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, was processed by microwave heating. The analysis of the treated samples employing thermo gravimetry, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and phase-contrast microscopy revealed the rapid detoxification of the waste by conversion of the asbestos fibers to a nonfibrous glassy material. The detoxification by the microwave method occurred at a significantly lower processing temperature than the thermal methods actually established for the treatment of asbestos-containing waste. The lower treatment temperature is considered to be a consequence of the microwave penetration depth into the waste material and the increased intensity of the microwave electric field in the gaps between the asbestos fibers resulting in a rapid heating of the fibers inside the debris. A continuous treatment plant having a capacity of 2000 kg day(-1) of asbestos-containing waste was built in the area affected by the earthquake disaster. This treatment plant consists of a rotary kiln to burn the combustible waste (wood) and a microwave rotary kiln to treat asbestos-containing inorganic materials. The hot flue gas produced by the combustion of wood is introduced into the connected microwave rotary kiln to increase the energy efficiency of the combined process. Successful operation of this combined device with regard to asbestos decomposition is demonstrated.

• Reaction mechanism for the aqueous-phase mineral carbonation of heat-activated serpentine at low temperatures and pressures in flue gas conditions. L.C. Pasquier, G. Mercier, J.F. Blais, et al. 2014;48(9):5163-70. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Mineral carbonation is known as one of the safest ways to sequester CO2. Nevertheless, the slow kinetics and low carbonation rates constitute a major barrier for any possible industrial application. To date, no studies have focused on reacting serpentinite with a relatively low partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) close to flue gas conditions. In this work, finely ground and heat-treated serpentinite [Mg3Si2O5(OH)4] extracted from mining residues was reacted with a 18.2 vol % CO2 gas stream at moderate global pressures to investigate the effect on CO2 solubility and Mg leaching. Serpentinite dissolution rates were also measured to define the rate-limiting step. Successive batches of gas were contacted with the same serpentinite to identify surface-limiting factors using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Investigation of the serpentinite carbonation reaction mechanisms under conditions close to a direct flue gas treatment showed that increased dissolution rates could be achieved relative to prior work, with an average Mg dissolution rate of 3.55 × 10(-11) mol cm(-2) s(-1). This study provides another perspective of the feasibility of applying a mineral carbonation process to reduce industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large emission sources.

• Chrysotile dissolution in the rhizosphere of the nickel hyperaccumulator Leptoplax emarginata. V. Chardot-Jacques, C. Calvaruso, B. Simon, et al. 2013;47(6):2612-20. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Ni phytoextraction processes need further understanding of the interactions between Ni availability in soils and its absorption by plant roots. The large metal uptake and root exudation by hyperaccumulator species could accelerate the weathering process of Ni-bearing phases in the rhizosphere. The aim of this work was to quantify the weathering of a Ni-bearing mineral phase in the rhizosphere of the Ni-hyperaccumulator Leptoplax emarginata. The studied mineral was chrysotile which was characterized by a low Ni solubility. Column experiments were performed to assess the effect of the Ni-hyperaccumulator L. emarginata and the contribution of rhizobacteria on the dissolution rate of chrysotile. Mineral weathering was monitored by measuring Ni and Mg transferred to leachates or plants throughout the experiment. Results showed that L. emarginata increased chrysotile dissolution by more than 2-fold . The hyperaccumulator L. emarginata accumulated 88% on average of total mobilized Ni. Inoculation with Ni-resistant bacteria in the rhizosphere of L. emarginata had no significant effect on chrysotile dissolution or plant accumulation of Ni in this context. Finally, after 15 weeks of culture, 1.65% of total Ni in the system was mobilized in the planted treatments compared with 0.03% in the unplanted treatments.

• Thermal activation of antigorite for mineralization of CO2. R.D. Balucan, B.Z. Dlugogorski. 2013;47(1):182-90. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  This contribution demonstrates the sensitivity of antigorite dehydroxylation to treatment conditions and discusses the implications of the observations for scientific (i.e., dehydroxylation kinetics) and technological (i.e., energy efficient conditions and design of practical activation reactors) applications. At present, the energy cost of dehydroxylation of serpentinite ores represent the most important impediment for a large scale implementation of sequestering CO(2) by mineralization. We have analyzed changes in antigorite's derivative thermogravimetric curves (DTG) and deduced factors affecting the mass loss profiles. The imposed heating rate, type of purge gas, type of comminution and sample mass all influence the dehydroxylation curve. However, the results show no influence of material of construction of the heating vessel and flow rate of the purge gas. We report an important effect of oxidation of Fe(2+) under air purge gas that occurs prior to dehydroxylation and leads to formation of hematite skins on serpentinite particles, slowing down subsequent mass transfer and increasing the treatment temperature. From the process perspective, 75 μm particles afford optimal conditions of temperature and rate of dehydroxylation. Overall, the practical considerations, in thermally activating serpentinite ores for storing CO(2) by carbonation, comprise rapid heating, proper size reduction, prior demagnetisation, and fluidization of the powder bed.

• Determining the frequency of asbestos use in automotive brakes from a fleet of on-road California vehicles. J. De Vita, S. Wall, J. Wagner, et al. 2012;46(3):1344-51. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Asbestos is a known human carcinogen, and recent regulation in California limits asbestiform fibers in brakes to trace levels beginning in 2014, although there is no corresponding federal requirement. In order to gauge the current prevalence of asbestos use in automotive brake applications, the California Air Resources Board tested brake linings from 137 light- and medium-duty vehicles and 54 heavy-duty vehicles. Only about 3% of the light- and medium-duty vehicle brake linings contained chrysotile asbestos. All of those brake linings were drum-type shoes, which are generally being phased out. No asbestos was found in low mileage vehicles presumed to have their original stock linings from the vehicle manufacturer. Additionally, no asbestos was found in the heavy-duty vehicle brake shoe linings sampled. Given the small percentage of vehicle brake linings with asbestos observed, it appears that the prior federal ban that was subsequently overturned, in combination with a threat of litigation, has reduced asbestos use in brake linings. However, our study was limited in scope and without a national ban, the current and future prevalence of asbestos in brakes is uncertain, suggesting the need for continued monitoring of materials released as toxic air contaminants in normal braking operations.

• Bioleaching of ultramafic tailings by acidithiobacillus spp. for CO2 sequestration. I.M. Power, G.M. Dipple, G. Southam. 2010;44(1):456-62. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Bioleaching experiments using various acid-generating substances, i.e., metal sulfides and elemental sulfur, were conducted to demonstrate the accelerated dissolution of chrysotile tailings collected from an asbestos mine near Clinton Creek, Yukon, Canada. Columns, possessing an acid-generating substance colonized with Acidithiobacillus sp., produced leachates with magnesium concentrations that were an order of magnitude greater than mine site waters or control column leachates. In addition, chrysotile tailings were efficient at neutralizing acidity, which resulted in the immobilization of metals (Fe, Cu, Zn) associated with the metal sulfide mine tailings that were used to generate acid. This suggests that tailings from acid mine drainage environments may be utilized to enhance chrysotile dissolution without polluting "downstream" ecosystems. These results demonstrate that the addition of an acid-generating substance in conjunction with a microbial catalyst can significantly enhance the release of magnesium ions, which are then available for the precipitation of carbonate minerals. This process, as part of a carbon dioxide sequestration program, has implications for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions in the mining industry.

• Effect of secondary phase formation on the carbonation of olivine. H.E. King, O. Plümper, A. Putnis. 2010;44(16):6503-9. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Large-scale olivine carbonation has been proposed as a potential method for sequestering CO(2) emissions. For in situ carbonation techniques, understanding the relationship between the formation of carbonate and other phases is important to predict the impact of possible passivating layers on the reaction. Therefore, we have conducted reactions of olivine with carbonated saline solutions in unstirred batch reactors. Altering the reaction conditions changed the Mg-carbonate morphology. We propose that this corresponded to changes in the ability of the system to precipitate hydromagnesite or magnesite. During high-temperature reactions (200 degrees C), an amorphous silica-enriched phase was precipitated that was transformed to lizardite as the reaction progressed. Hematite was also precipitated in the initial stages of these reactions but dissolved as the reaction proceeded. Comparison of the experimental observations with reaction models indicates that the reactions are governed by the interfacial fluid composition. The presence of a new Mg-silicate phase and the formation of secondary products at the olivine surface are likely to limit the extent of olivine to carbonate conversion.

• Selective detection of airborne asbestos fibers using protein-based fluorescent probes. T. Ishida, M. Alexandrov, T. Nishimura, et al. 2010;44(2):755-9. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Fluorescence microscopy (FM) is one of the most important analytical tools in modern life sciences, sufficiently sensitive to allow observation of single molecules. Here we describe the first application of the FM technique for the detection of inorganic environmental pollutants-airborne asbestos fibers that can cause asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. In order to assess FM capabilities for detecting and counting asbestos fibers, we screened E. coli lysate for proteins that bind to amphibole asbestos. In combination with the previously discovered E. coli protein DksA (Kuroda et al., Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008, 99, 285-289) that can specifically bind to chrysotile, the newly identified GatZ protein was used for selective and highly sensitive detection of two different asbestos types. Our novel FM-based method overcomes a number of limitations of the commonly used phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) method, offering a convenient alternative to PCM for airborne asbestos monitoring.

2000s

• Magnesium hydroxide extracted from a magnesium-rich mineral for CO2 sequestration in a gas-solid system. P.C. Lin, C.W. Huang, C.T. Hsiao, et al. 2008;42(8):2748-52. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Magnesium hydroxide extracted from magnesium-bearing minerals is considered a promising agent for binding CO2 as a carbonate mineral in a gas-solid reaction. An efficient extraction route consisting of hydrothermal treatment on serpentine in HCl followed by NaOH titration for Mg(OH)2 precipitation was demonstrated. The extracted Mg(OH)2 powder had a mean crystal domain size as small as 12 nm and an apparent surface area of 54 m2/g. Under one atmosphere of 10 vol% CO2/N2, carbonation of the serpentine-derived Mg(OH)2 to 26% of the stoichiometric limit was achieved at 325 degrees C in 2 h; while carbonation of a commercially available Mg(OH)2, with a mean crystal domain size of 33 nm and an apparent surface area of 3.5 m2/g, reached only 9% of the stoichiometric limit. The amount of CO2 fixation was found to be inversely proportional to the crystal domain size of the Mg(OH)2 specimens. The experimental data strongly suggested that only a monolayer of carbonates was formed on the crystal domain boundary in the gas-solid reaction, with little penetration of the carbonates into the crystal domain.

• Novel selective dyeing method for chrysotile asbestos detection in concrete materials. Y. Oke, N. Yamasaki, G.Y. Amamoto, et al. 2008;42(5):1638-42. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  There are a tremendous number of asbestos-containing buildings without any surveys on the presence of asbestos because of the difficulty to detect asbestos in building materials simply and quickly, although a great deal of worldwide effort was put into removing asbestos of which inhalation causes serious diseases. In this study, we newly developed a simple dyeing method to detect chrysotile asbestos, the most commonly used type of asbestos, in asbestos-cement composite materials using magnesium-chelating organic dyes. As an essential process for selective dyeing of chrysotile asbestos, special pretreatment with a calcium-chelating agent was developed to prevent the dyes from reacting with calcium, which is the major component of concrete materials. Our developed selective dyeing method was shown to possess sufficient sensitivity for detecting chrysotile asbestos in an amount greater than 0.1 mass% in concrete specimens, and there was an approximately linear relationship between the area fraction of dyed spots and the mass fraction of chrysotile asbestos. Our results may provide a basis for further development of a simple on-site detection method for chrysotile asbestos in building materials and may facilitate the progress of control and removal of asbestos in the environment.

• Assessing the origin and fate of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and V in industrial polluted soil by combined microspectroscopic techniques and bulk extraction methods. R. Terzano, M. Spagnuolo, B. Vekemans, et al. 2007;41(19):6762-9. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The major geochemical forms of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and V in a soil from an industrial polluted site in the south of Italy were determined by means of synchrotron X-ray microanalytical techniques such as coupled micro-X-ray fluorescence/micro-X-ray diffraction and micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy in combination with bulk extraction methods (sequential extraction procedures, EDTA extractions, and toxicity leaching characteristic procedure tests). Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cu were found in spinel-type geochemical forms (chromite, trevorite, franklinite, zincochromite, and cuprospinel) and often in association with magnetite and hematite. Vwas mainly present as V(V) associated with iron-oxides or in the form of volborthite [Cu3(OH)2V2O7.2H2O]. Pb was speciated as minium (Pb3O4), lanarkite [Pb2O(SO4)], and, in association with Cr(VI), as crocoite (PbCrO4). In general, despite a high total concentration, metals appear to be speciated for the most part as rather insoluble geochemical forms. However, particular attention should be paid to Zn, Cu, V, and Pb that show non-negligible mobilizable fractions. On the basis of the geochemical forms identified, among others, two major former industrial activities were tentatively ascribed as being responsible for the observed major pollution: polyvinyl chloride and cement-asbestos productions.

• Relative congener scaling of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans to estimate building fire contributions in air, surface wipes, and dust samples. J.D. Pleil, M.N. Lorber. 2007;41(21):7286-93. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The United States Environmental Protection Agency collected ambient air samples in lower Manhattan for about 9 months following the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) attacks. Measurements were made of a host of airborne contaminants including volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, asbestos, lead, and other contaminants of concern. The present study focuses on the broad class of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and dibenzofurans (CDFs) with specific emphasis on the 17 CDD/CDF congeners that exhibit mammalian toxicity. This work is a statistical study comparing the internal patterns of CDD/CDFs using data from an unambiguous fire event (WTC) and other data sets to help identify their sources. A subset of 29 samples all taken between September 16 and October 31, 2001 were treated as a basis set known to be heavily impacted by the WTC building fire source. A second basis set was created using data from Los Angeles and Oakland, CA as published by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and treated as the archetypical background pattern for CDD/CDFs. The CARB data had a congener profile appearing similar to background air samples from different locations in America and around the world and in different matrices, such as background soils. Such disparate data would normally be interpreted with a qualitative pattern recognition based on congener bar graphs or other forms of factor or cluster analysis that group similar samples together graphically. The procedure developed here employs aspects of those statistical methods to develop a single continuous output variable per sample. Specifically, a form of variance structure-based cluster analysis is used to group congeners within samples to reduce collinearity in the basis sets, new variables are created based on these groups, and multivariate regression is applied to the reduced variable set to determine a predictive equation. This equation predicts a value for an output variable, OPT: the predicted value of OPT is near zero (0.00) for a background congener profile and near one (1.00) forthe profile characterized by the WTC air profile. Although this empirical method is calibrated with relatively small sets of airborne samples, it is shown to be generalizable to other WTC, fire source, and background air samples as well as other sample matrices including soils, window films and other dust wipes, and bulk dusts. However, given the limited data set examined, the method does not allow further discrimination between the WTC data and the other fire sources. This type of analysis is demonstrated to be useful for complex trace-level data sets with limited data and some below-detection entries.

• In vitro cytotoxicity of oxide nanoparticles: comparison to asbestos, silica, and the effect of particle solubility. T.J. Brunner, P. Wick, P. Manser, et al. 2006;40(14):4374-81. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Early indicators for nanoparticle-derived adverse health effects should provide a relative measure for cytotoxicity of nanomaterials in comparison to existing toxicological data. We have therefore evaluated a human mesothelioma and a rodent fibroblast cell line for in vitro cytotoxicity tests using seven industrially important nanoparticles. Their response in terms of metabolic activity and cell proliferation of cultures exposed to 0-30 ppm nanoparticles (microg g(-1)) was compared to the effects of nontoxic amorphous silica and toxic crocidolite asbestos. Solubility was found to strongly influence the cytotoxic response. The results further revealed a nanoparticle-specific cytotoxic mechanism for uncoated iron oxide and partial detoxification or recovery after treatment with zirconia, ceria, or titania. While in vitro experiments may never replace in vivo studies, the relatively simple cytotoxic tests provide a readily available pre-screening method.

• Soil fungi reduce the iron content and the DNA damaging effects of asbestos fibers. S. Daghino, F. Turci, M. Tomatis, et al. 2006;40(18):5793-8. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Some soil fungi growing on asbestos fibers release chelators and antioxidants. The bioweathering potential of fungi has thus been envisaged as a possible route for bioremediation of asbestos rich soils, where no inactivation procedures have been established so far. The present study reports fungal-mediated modification of the surface reactivity of the fibers and of their potential to damage DNA in vitro. Verticillium sp. and Paecilomyces sp. were selected among the fungi isolated from fragments of chrysotile bearing rocks, as the most potent in iron extraction, and studied in parallel with F. oxysporum, previously reported to modify the surface reactivity of asbestos fibers. One sample of chrysotile from the Western Alps and a sample of UICC (Union Internationale Contre le Cancer) crocidolite were incubated with or without fungi. All fungi extracted iron from both fibers (7.3% from crocidolite and 33.6% from chrysotile by Verticillium sp.), releasing it into the medium. F. oxysporum and Paecilomyces sp. suppressed the potential of the fibers to release hydroxyl radical, while Verticillium sp. suppressed it on crocidolite but enhanced it on chrysotile, a hallmark of ongoing mobilization of reactive iron. Fibers incubated in the growth medium, but in the absence of fungi, exhibited a remarkable potential to damage DNA in vitro, measured by the generation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, while all the fungi reduced such effect. Fungi may thus be regarded as appropriate candidates for bioremediation of asbestos rich soils whereby the reactive iron ions responsible for DNA damage are progressively removed from the fibers.

• Using yeast RNA as a probe for generation of hydroxyl radicals by earth materials. C.A. Cohn, R. Laffers, M.A. Schoonen. 2006;40(8):2838-43. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Inhalation of certain types of particulate matter can lead to lung disease. The reactivity of these particles and, in part, the pathologic responses that result are dictated by their physicochemical properties. The ability of particles to induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially hydroxyl radicals in vivo, is one property that has been correlated to the development of lung disease. Several minerals, such as quartz and asbestos, are known to generate hydroxyl radicals and cause lung disease, but many other minerals have never been tested. Here, we describe a technique employing yeast RNA as a probe to screen for mineral-generated hydroxyl radicals. The stability of RNA in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, ferrous iron, hydroxyl radicals, and several common minerals (quartz, albite, forsterite, fayalite, hematite, magnetite, coal, and pyrite) was examined. 3'-(p-Aminophenyl) fluorescein (APF) was used to verify mineral generation of ROS. RNA is stable in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, quartz, and albite; while it degrades in the presence of ferrous iron, hydroxyl radicals, and the other minerals. Coal and pyrite are the most reactive both in RNA degradation and hydroxyl radical generation. This noncellular technique provides a straightforward way to compare many different particles simultaneously. Those particles showing reactivity toward RNA using this method are high-priority candidates for further in vitro and possibly in vivo tests.

• Fenten chemistry of Fe(III)-exchanged zeolitic minerals treated with antioxidants. T.A. Ruda, P.K. Dutta. 2005;39(16):6147-52. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Respirable mineral fibers, such as asbestos, are known to cause pleural mesothelioma, pulmonary fibrosis, and bronchial carcinoma, often years after exposure. Erionite and mordenite, two mineral aluminosilicates (zeolites) with different toxicities, can be used as models to help understand asbestos toxicity. Erionite is carcinogenic, while mordenite is relatively benign. No iron is typically present in erionite or mordenite, but because of their ion-exchange properties they can acquire iron after inhalation. The iron is typically in the Fe(III) form and will need to be reduced prior to any Fenton activity. Lung lining fluid contains antioxidants, such as glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AA), which can reduce Fe(III) to Fe(II). In this study, we have compared the Fenton reactivity of Fe(III)-exchanged erionite and mordenite after treatment with antioxidants. The Fenton assay involved the reaction of hydroxyl radicals with dimethyl sulfoxide. Fenton reactivity was most marked with AA followed by GSH, and hydrogen peroxide also exhibited minor reactivity. Erionite generated an order of magnitude greater hydroxyl radicals than mordenite, normalized to the surface iron content, providing support for the hypothesis that the iron coordination at the mineral surface plays a significant role in bioactivity.

• Asbestos problems in Montana and California. C. Maynard. 2004;38(3):46A. Comment · Letter PubMed · Publisher

• Characterization of background concentrations in upper Manhattan, New York apartments for select contaminants identified in World Trade Center dust. K.M. Tang, C.G. Nace, C.L. Lynes, et al. 2004;38(24):6482-90. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Residential indoor concentration of asbestos, lead, synthetic vitreous fiber (SVF), crystalline silica, calcite, gypsum, dioxin, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 25 residences and 9 building-interior common areas in upper Manhattan, NY. This was done to characterize the background levels of contaminants, identified in dust related to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, at locations that were minimally impacted by the dust fallout. The study was initiated due to the paucity of background concentrations on building-related materials and combustion byproducts in urban residential dwellings. Asbestos, lead, SVF, crystalline silica, and dioxin were detected at very low concentration at some locations, and many samples tested below their respective analysis detection limits. Almost all of the environmental samples for PAHs, calcite, gypsum, and certain other building materials tested below their respective analysis detection limits. A comparative analysis to the limited literature data showed general agreement with the values found in this study. This study provides insight into the levels of these contaminants in lower Manhattan residential buildings prior to the attack, and these data will serve to enhance the available database for characterizing indoor environments for these contaminants.

• Exploration of the role of heat activation in enhancing serpentine carbon sequestration reactions. M.J. McKelvy, A.V. Chizmeshya, J. Diefenbacher, et al. 2004;38(24):6897-903. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  As compared with other candidate carbon sequestration technologies, mineral carbonation offers the unique advantage of permanent disposal via geologically stable and environmentally benign carbonates. The primary challenge is the development of an economically viable process. Enhancing feedstock carbonation reactivity is key. Heat activation dramatically enhances aqueous serpentine carbonation reactivity. Although the present process is too expensive to implement, the materials characteristics and mechanisms that enhance carbonation are of keen interest for further reducing cost. Simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) of the serpentine mineral lizardite was used to isolate a series of heat-activated materials as a function of residual hydroxide content at progressively higher temperatures. Their structure and composition are evaluated via TGA/DTA, X-ray powder diffraction (including phase analysis), and infrared analysis. The meta-serpentine materials that were observed to form ranged from those with longer range ordering, consistent with diffuse stage-2 like interlamellar order, to an amorphous component that preferentially forms at higher temperatures. The aqueous carbonation reaction process was investigated for representative materials via in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Magnesite was observed to form directly at 15 MPa CO2 and at temperatures ranging from 100 to 125 degrees C. Carbonation reactivity is generally correlated with the extent of meta-serpentine formation and structural disorder.

• Reconstruction of a century of airborne asbestos concentrations. J.S. Webber, K.W. Jackson, P.P. Parekh, et al. 2004;38(3):707-14. Historical article PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Airborne asbestos concentrations have been reconstructed for the entire 20th century for the first time through a combination of paleolimnological methods, particle-separation techniques, and analytical transmission electron microscopy. Pb concentrations and respirable aerosol mass concentrations in air and sediments yielded collection efficiencies of approximately 3000 m3 of air per gram of lake sediment. Airborne concentrations of chrysotile, the most common type of asbestos, reconstructed from control lake sediments echoed chrysotile's usage during the 20th century, with the highest concentrations mid-century (approximately 0.1 fibers/cm3) and then decreasing in the last quarter century. Reconstructed airborne concentrations of anthophyllite asbestos, a byproduct of local talc mining and milling, increased from <0.004 to 0.022 fibers/cm3 from 1846 to 1967. These anthophyllite concentrations during the approximately 100-year period of talc mining correlated well (r2 = 0.80, p < 0.01) with annual production of local talc and were much higher (p = 0.004) than concurrent concentrations in a control lake located upwind of the mines and mills. All of the chrysotile and more than 70% of the anthophyllite asbestos fibers were too narrow to be detected by phase-contrast light microscopy, the method used to measure airborne fiber concentrations before approximately 1980.

• Airborne brake wear debris: size distributions, composition, and a comparison of dynamometer and vehicle tests. P.G. Sanders, N. Xu, T.M. Dalka, et al. 2003;37(18):4060-9. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  Particle size distributions of light-duty vehicle brake wear debris are reported with careful attention paid to avoid sampling biases. Electrical low-pressure impactor and micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor measurements yield consistent size distributions, and the net particulate matter mass from each method is in good agreement with gravimetric filter measurements. The mass mean diameter of wear debris from braking events representative of urban driving is 6 microm, and the number-weighted mean is 1-2 microm for three currently used classes of lining materials: low metallic, semimetallic, and non-asbestos organic (NAO). In contrast, the wear rates are very material dependent, both in number and mass of particles, with 3-4 times higher emissions observed from the low metallic linings as compared to the semimetallic and NAO linings. Wind tunnel and test track measurements demonstrate the appearance of micron size particles that correlate with braking events, with approximately 50% of the wear debris being airborne for the test vehicle in this study. Elemental analysis of the wear debris reveals a consistent presence of the elements Fe, Cu, and Ba in both dynamometer and test track samples.

• Asbestos investigation under way. R. Renner. 2003;37(23):426A-428A. News PubMed · Publisher

• Sorption of nonpolar aromatic contaminants by chlorosilane surface modified natural minerals. P. Huttenloch, K.E. Roehl, K. Czurda. 2001;35(21):4260-4. PubMed · Publisher

  Abstract

  The efficacy of the surface modification of natural diatomite and zeolite material by chlorosilanes is demonstrated. Chlorosilanes used were trimethylchlorosilane (TMSCI), tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane (TBDMSCI), dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane (DMODSCI), and diphenyldichlorosilane (DPDSCI) possessing different headgroups and chemical properties. Silanol groups of the diatomite and zeolite were modified by chemical reaction with the chlorosilanes resulting in a stable covalent attachment of the organosilanes to the mineral surface. The alteration of surface properties of the modified material was proved by measurements of water adsorption capacity, total organic carbon (TOC) content, and thermoanalytical data. The surface modified material showed great stability even when exposed to extremes in ionic strength, pH, and to pure organic solvents. Sorption of toluene, o-xylene, and naphthalene from water was greatly enhanced by the surface modification compared to the untreated materials which showed no measurable sorption of these compounds. The enhanced sorption was dependent on the organic carbon content as well as on chemical characteristics of the chlorosilanes used. Batch sorption experiments showed that the phenyl headgroups of DPDSCI have the best affinity for aromatic compounds. Removal from an aqueous solution of 10 mg/L of naphthalene, o-xylene, and toluene was 71%, 60%, and 30% for surface modified diatomite and 51%, 30%, and 16% for modified clinoptilolite, respectively. Sorption data were well described by the Freundlich isotherm equation, which indicated physical adsorption onto the lipophilic surface rather than partitioning into the surface organic phase. The chlorosilane modified materials have an apparent potential for application in environmental technologies such as permeable reactive barriers (PRB) or wastewater treatment.

Browse every journal in the library or the library by type of article, or return to medical research.