Quantitative characterization of the mesothelioma-inducing erionite series minerals by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy

Our plain-English summary of Quantitative characterization of the mesothelioma-inducing erionite series minerals by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, by M. Dogan (Scanning, 2012).

The study

• Author: M. Dogan
• Journal: Scanning
• Published: 2012;34(1):37-42
• Cited by: 12 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Air-collected erionite series minerals from Cappadocia region of Turkey were characterized quantitatively by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Field emission scanning electron microscopy aided identification of fibrous minerals. Quantitative characterization guidelines for positive identification of erionites proposed by Dogan and Dogan (2008) was applied and the modified balance error formula (E%<10) and Mg-content test <0.80 were performed for each analysis. Erionite species computation showed that the mineral is erionite-K and a mean chemical formula is proposed based upon the TEM-EDS results. Among the 60 analyses, 11 passed E% test (18.3%), 33 passed Mg-content test (55.0%), and only 3 passed both E% and Mg-content tests (5.0%). This shows difficulty of quantitative characterization of the erionite series minerals. However, as erionite is the most carcinogenic mineral known and is classified by IARC as a Group-I (human) carcinogen, it requires special attention from the mineralogical community to help establish its true mineralogical properties. Quantitatively characterized erionite data are very scarce in literature. Correctly identified erionite mineral types will be useful to medical researchers in their search to find a possible cure for the deadly disease of mesothelioma.

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In plain English

This laboratory study analyzed minerals rather than people. The author examined stationary air samples collected in the Cappadocia region of Turkey and characterized only the erionite series minerals found on the filters. Seven samples were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDS), giving 60 analyses in total. Each analysis was checked with two tests: a balance error of 10% or less, and a magnesium content under 0.80 atom per cell. Of the 60 analyses, 11 passed the balance-error test (18.3%), 33 passed the magnesium test (55.0%), and only 3 passed both (5.0%). Overall, 30 analyses were identified as erionite-K and 30 as erionite-Ca. No erionite-Na was observed. All three analyses that passed both tests were erionite-K, and the author proposed a mean chemical formula based on them. A separate method, electron probe microanalysis, gave compatible results. The author concluded that this shows how difficult it is to obtain quantitatively characterized erionite samples. The author noted that too few samples were checked by microprobe for that check to be statistically significant.

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 mineralogical characterization of air-filter samples by TEM-EDS. Each chemical analysis was accepted only if it passed a balance-error test (10% or less) and a magnesium-content test (under 0.80 atom per cell).
• Who was studied: Stationary air samples collected from the Cappadocia region of Turkey: 7 samples yielding 60 analyses. Collection dates are not stated.
• Exposure: Airborne erionite series minerals (erionite-K, erionite-Na, erionite-Ca). Other particles on the filters were not analyzed.
• Main results:
  • The magnesium-content test was based on the structural limit for magnesium in erionite, 0.80 atom per cell.
  • Of the 60 analyses, 11 passed the balance-error test (18.3%), 33 passed the Mg-content test (55.0%), and 3 passed both tests (5.0%).
  • Across the 60 analyses from the 7 samples, 30 were identified as erionite-K and 30 as erionite-Ca.
  • No erionite-Na was observed.
  • All three analyses that passed both tests were erionite-K, which the author said supports earlier SEM-EDS results.
  • The proposed mean formula for the three positively identified erionite-K analyses.
  • TEM-EDS results were independently checked by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), which gave compatible results.
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that the low pass rates show the difficulty of obtaining quantitatively characterized erionite samples.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The number of samples checked by EPMA (which confirmed high Mg contents in some samples) was not statistically significant. The author said this point deserves further investigation.
  • The oxidation state of iron (Fe(II) or Fe(III)) cannot be identified by EPMA or EDS, which affects structural computations.
  • Possible beam damage and loss of light elements, particularly sodium, led the author to reduce the analysis time. The author attributed the higher calcium than sodium in the mean formula to sodium loss at 100 kV.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, erionite, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Cappadocia, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), TEM/EDS, Carcinogenic.

Related studies

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• Study of inorganic particles, fibers, and asbestos bodies by variable pressure scanning electron microscopy with annexed energy dispersive spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy in thin sections of lung and pleural plaque — C. Rinaudo, A. Croce, et al. (2010)
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• Asbestos mineral analysis by UV Raman and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy — R. Petry, R. Mastalerz, et al. (2006)

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