Major and trace element compositions of the UICC standard asbestos samples

Our plain-English summary of Major and trace element compositions of the UICC standard asbestos samples, by D.R. Bowes, C.M. Farrow (American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1997).

The study

• Authors: D.R. Bowes, C.M. Farrow
• Journal: American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Published: 1997;32(6):592-4
• Cited by: 25 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Major and trace element compositions for chrysotile (2 samples), amosite, crocidolite, and anthophyllite UICC standard asbestos samples have been determined using UV-visible spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectometry, flame photometry, volumetric analysis, and gravimetric analysis for major elements and x-ray and optical spectrometry for trace elements. The trace element data are for Li, S, Cl, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, Pb, and Th and distribution in the various mineral phases is discussed.

In plain English

This laboratory study, from the University of Glasgow, chemically analyzed the five UICC standard asbestos samples: chrysotile A (Shibani, Zimbabwe), chrysotile B (Canada), amosite (Penge, South Africa), crocidolite (Koegas, South Africa) and anthophyllite (Paakilla, Finland). It did not study people or health effects. The authors measured major elements and 20 trace elements and compared the results with earlier analyses by Kohyama and colleagues (1996). For most elements, the two sets of oxide percentages generally matched. There were marked differences for titanium oxide, and for sodium oxide at low levels. The new data showed lower magnesium oxide in both chrysotile samples and in the anthophyllite. Carbon dioxide, which the authors said suggests a carbonate mineral, was reported for chrysotile A, amosite, crocidolite and anthophyllite. Trace metals varied. For example, chromium was 2,600 parts per million in chrysotile A and 900 in chrysotile B. The authors concluded that trace elements in the amosite, crocidolite and chrysotile samples are likely held mainly within the crystal structure. They said further studies are needed for the anthophyllite sample, which earlier work estimated contains as little as 60% anthophyllite.

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 chemical analysis of reference asbestos samples, compared with previously published analyses; no human or animal subjects. Major elements were measured by spectrophotometry, atomic absorption, flame/emission photometry, titration and gravimetric methods, and trace elements by x-ray and optical spectrometry.
• Who was studied: Five UICC standard asbestos samples, analyzed at the University of Glasgow: chrysotile A (Shibani, Zimbabwe), chrysotile B (Canada), amosite (Penge, S Africa), crocidolite (Koegas, S Africa) and anthophyllite (Paakilla, Finland)
• Exposure: Not an exposure study; the materials analyzed were chrysotile (2 samples), amosite, crocidolite and anthophyllite UICC standard asbestos
• Main results:
  • For most elements the oxide percentages generally corresponded with those of Kohyama et al. [1996], but there were marked differences for TiO2, and for Na2O at low concentrations
  • The new data showed lower MgO than Kohyama et al. for chrysotile A (40.00 vs 42.97 wt%), chrysotile B (40.49 vs 43.54 wt%) and anthophyllite (28.93 vs 31.56 wt%)
  • CO2 was reported at 2.26 wt% in chrysotile A, 1.55 in amosite, 1.41 in crocidolite and 0.34 in anthophyllite; the authors said this suggests a carbonate phase
  • The amosite contained 1.8% MnO and the crocidolite 5.6% Na2O, which the authors described as a major lattice-forming constituent
  • Chromium (ppm) measured in this study was 2,600 in chrysotile A, 900 in chrysotile B and 1,330 in anthophyllite
  • Nickel (ppm) measured in this study was 1,850 in chrysotile A, 975 in chrysotile B, 33 in amosite, 18 in crocidolite and 1,125 in anthophyllite
  • The anthophyllite sample contained about 3,500 ppm sulfur, which could be present as dispersed sulfide grains
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that trace elements in the amosite and crocidolite are at least mainly in the crystal lattices, and that most trace elements in chrysotile A and B likely represent lattice substitution. They also said conclusions based on water values from loss on ignition need reassessment.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • For the anthophyllite sample, which was estimated to contain as little as 60% anthophyllite, further studies are needed to assess how trace elements are distributed among the mineral phases
  • Fluorine was not determined

Mines named here

Asbestos mines this study is about. Each mine's page says who ran it, when it worked, and what it produced.

• Koegas, Cape Province

All asbestos mines

Topics

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

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: UICC, Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Anthophyllite.

Related studies

• Health effects of natural dust: role of trace elements and compounds — A.G. Cook, P. Weinstein, et al. (2005)
• UICC standard reference samples of asbestos — V. Timbrell, J.C. Gibson, et al. (1968)
• Some observations on the distribution of trace metals in chrysotile asbestos — A. Morgan, A.E. Lally, et al. (1973)
• Asbestos fibers and trace metals in the blood of cattle grazing in fields inundated by asbestos-rich sediments — H. Schreier, J.A. Shelford, et al. (1986)
• Human exposure to trace elements and PCDD/Fs around a hazardous waste landfill in Catalonia (Spain) — M. Herrero, J. Rovira, et al. (2020)
• Mineral phases and some reexamined characteristics of the International Union Against Cancer standard asbestos samples — N. Kohyama, Y. Shinohara, et al. (1996)

Browse more research in American Journal of Industrial Medicine, or return to medical research.