The sensitivity of lavage analysis by light and analytical electron microscopy in correlating the types of asbestos from a known exposure setting

Our plain-English summary of The sensitivity of lavage analysis by light and analytical electron microscopy in correlating the types of asbestos from a known exposure setting, by R.F. Dodson, M. O'Sullivan, D. Brooks, et al (Inhalation Toxicology, 2003).

The study

• Authors: R.F. Dodson, M. O'Sullivan, D. Brooks, J.L. Levin
• Journal: Inhalation Toxicology
• Published: 2003;15(5):461-71
• Cited by: 2 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Lavage material was collected from 12 individuals whose work history included working in a cement manufacturing facility. The manufacturing processes of the facility included the use of crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos. Lavage material was prepared via digestion procedure and then analyzed for the presence of ferruginous bodies by light microscopy and for uncoated asbestos fibers by analytical transmission electron microscopy. A comparison was made as to the sensitivity between two analytical methods for linking a past exposure to a specific type of asbestos. The use of analytical transmission electron microscopy for identification of core material in the ferruginous bodies as well as for quantification of the uncoated asbestos fibers increased the sensitivity of the information obtained from lavage samples as necessary for confirming exposure in the past to specific types of asbestos.

In plain English

This laboratory study examined lung-wash (bronchoalveolar lavage) samples from 12 workers who had worked 6 to 25 years at a cement manufacturing facility that used crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos. All were still working there when sampled. The authors compared light microscopy, used to count coated fibers called ferruginous bodies, with analytical transmission electron microscopy (ATEM), used to identify uncoated fibers and their types. Ferruginous bodies were found in 10 of the 12 samples, at 1 to 483.5 per milliliter. Of 51 body cores analyzed, 2 were chrysotile and the rest were crocidolite. ATEM found uncoated asbestos fibers in all 12 samples, from 1523 to 78,081 fibers per milliliter. Crocidolite was found in all 12 samples and chrysotile in nine. Amosite, which was not reported as used in the workplace, was found in six. About 82% of uncoated asbestos fibers were shorter than 5 micrometers. The authors noted that two workers would not have been considered occupationally exposed from ferruginous bodies alone. They concluded that ATEM, combined with identifying body cores, extends sensitivity for linking past exposure to specific asbestos types beyond light microscopy alone.

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 analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage samples from a small group of exposed workers, comparing light microscopy with analytical transmission electron microscopy
• Who was studied: 12 workers at a cement manufacturing facility, exposed during work periods of 6 to 25 years and still working there at the time of lavage; ages 34 to 59 (average 44.8). The facility's location and the study dates are not stated.
• Exposure: Work in a cement manufacturing facility that used crocidolite and chrysotile asbestos; amosite was not reported as used in the workplace
• Main results:
  • Ferruginous bodies were present at 1 or more per milliliter in lavage from 10 of the 12 workers
  • In the samples with detectable ferruginous bodies, levels ranged from 1 to 483.5 per milliliter
  • Of 51 ferruginous bodies whose cores were analyzed, 2 had chrysotile cores and the rest had crocidolite cores
  • All 12 workers had uncoated asbestos fibers in their lavage, ranging from 1523 (Case 11) to 78,081 (Case 2) fibers per milliliter
  • Crocidolite was found in all 12 lavage samples
  • Chrysotile was found in 9 of the 12 workers (75%) and amosite in 6 (50%); tremolite was found in 5 samples and actinolite in 1
  • Amosite was found even though it was not reported as used in the workplace
  • Of 1052 uncoated asbestos fibers analyzed across all samples, 913 (86.8%) were crocidolite, 118 (11.2%) chrysotile and 12 (1.1%) amosite
  • Most uncoated asbestos fibers (82%) were shorter than 5 micrometers
  • Only a minority of uncoated fibers would have been counted by usual light microscopy counting schemes: about one-third of amosite, 12.5% of tremolite and 6% of crocidolite fibers (Table 4 lists 0.0% for chrysotile)
  • The ratio of uncoated asbestos fibers to ferruginous bodies ranged from 18:1 to 71,323:1 across workers, with an average of 17,656 to 1
  • The authors stated that two of the workers would not have been considered occupationally exposed if only ferruginous bodies in lavage had been used to judge exposure
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that using ATEM to count and identify uncoated asbestos fibers, together with identifying the cores of ferruginous bodies, expands the sensitivity of lavage analysis for linking past exposure to specific asbestos types in the workplace and for confirming nontrivial past exposure, beyond what light microscopy for ferruginous bodies alone achieves.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Work History, Crocidolite, Chrysotile, Ferruginous Bodies, Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (ATEM).

Related studies

• Comparison of the results of asbestos fibre dust counts in lung tissue obtained by analytical electron microscopy and light microscopy — F.D. Pooley, D.L. Ranson (1986)
• Alveolar fiber load in asbestos workers and in subjects with no occupational asbestos exposure: an electron microscopy study — G. Chiappino, K.H. Friedrichs, et al. (1988)
• The utility of electron microscopy in detecting asbestos fibers and particles in BALF in diffuse lung diseases — T. Kido, Y. Morimoto, et al. (2017)
• Determination of mineral fibre in human lung tissue by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy — A.J. Rogers (1984)
• A comparison of light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results in the evaluation of the occupational exposure to airborne chrysotile fibres — A. Marconi, E. Menichini, et al. (1984)
• A technique to prepare asbestos air samples for light and electron microscopy — T.W. Pang, A.E. Robinson (1981)

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