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Asbestos, also known by its commercial name "amianthus", has been widely used in various industries due to its unique properties. However, the extensive use of asbestos has had serious consequences for human health, most notably asbestosis, an irreversible chronic lung disease. Asbestosis increases the risk of lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, both of which are fatal. Applied sciences such as microscopy (optical and scanning electron microscopy) and geochemistry have been fundamental in characterizing the mineral fibers of asbestos to understand its role in human health. We previously used these techniques to characterize these fibers; in this study, we explored the issues associated with asbestos and asbestosis, as well as the challenges facing science communication strategies in effectively informing society and workers about these risks. The lack of scientific culture, in general, has led to a lack of public awareness of the risks of asbestos. As such, effective communication and outreach plans and strategies, including the visualization of the fibers to demonstrate why problems arise if inhaled, must be implemented to address these challenges. Educational campaigns, guidelines, and plans that are informative and actionable, teaching workers, communities, and the public about the risks of asbestos are crucial. A general knowledge of mineralogy and geochemistry is needed, and providing and disseminating proper scientific communication may help to close the knowledge gap. We use examples and experience from Spain and Italy to illustrate this matter, as we have been working on the characterization of ultramafic complexes in these countries for more than ten years. Additionally, because these countries have strict laws for asbestos-containing materials, they are currently involved in retiring and demolishing buildings and infrastructure that contain asbestos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted by the scientific community that various factors such as morphometry, biodurability and chemistry contribute to the toxic potential of elongated mineral particles. As far as the chemical composition is concerned, in addition to its major structural elements, asbestos Elongated Mineral Particles (EMPs) may contain various Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs), which could play an important role in pathological effects on human health. In this study, the concentration levels of PTEs in two actinolite elongated mineral particles and two host-serpentinite rocks, were determined by means of inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy with optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The present work aims to provide a contribution to the already existent literature studies focusing on asbestos-related toxicity with new chemical data of actinolite EMPs and host-serpentinite rocks accommodating PTEs. Study samples come from the Southern Apennine thrust belt in Basilicata region (Southern Italy), where asbestos-bearing outcrops are documented in the literature and induced pathogenic effects have been reported so far. Geochemical results of actinolite samples revealed high concentrations of toxic elements especially Cr and Ni with values ranging between 158-870 ppm and 20-103 ppm respectively. Similarly, analyzed bulk serpentinite rocks showed Cr and Ni critical concentrations. Based on the obtained results it is possible to assert that populations living in areas with amphibole asbestos occurrences within serpentinite outcrops, such as the studied cases, are potentially exposed to health risks related to the presence of significant amounts of PTEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health risks are often overlooked when the consequences are not evident in the short term. In restoration work, some activities can generate particles that may affect the health of workers through inhalation (e.g., cleaning of buildings or heritage artifacts composed of stone). Workers at quarries are also exposed to such materials and, therefore, the results of our work can help to increase the risk perception in workers from the stone sector, but also in construction workers in an environment associated with dust. To demonstrate the importance of protection to prevent health hazards, we laser-ablated some samples of serpentinite that contain serpentine minerals as major phase minerals. The powder obtained in filters coupled to the ablation laser was analysed, using tools such as an optical microscope, X-ray powder diffraction, a transmission electron microscope and thermal analysis. The results were very didactic, and the intention is to use them, by way of graphics and diagrams, to build information security sheets that will alert workers to the need of using masks when working, or to use tools with coupled filters such as the one used for our study. The main goal is to demonstrate that the interdisciplinary combination of scientific approaches can be used for the sake of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (HRXCT) or micro-CT (μCT) or CT is a frequently used non-destructive 3D imaging and analysis technique for the investigation of internal structures of a large variety of objects, including geo-materials (Cnudde & Boone, 2013) and NOA (Naturally Occurring Asbestos). We adopted such technique on a series of specimens collected from various sites, which include active either active and abandoned quarries in northern and southern Italy, in order to image and quantify the size and 3D distribution of potentially dangerous fibrous minerals within asbestos-bearing rocks. Harmful asbestos minerals that are regulated by law (in Europe and in several countries worldwide) include chrysotile, tremolite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, actinolite and amosite (Bloise & Miriello, 2018). This approach has been supported by other analytical techniques on the same rocks, which allow the mineral chemistry, rock fabric, and asbestos minerals to be detected and characterized. Preliminary results indicate a potential natural hazard for health effects linked to the occurrence and spatial distribution of fibrous minerals like tremolite and serpentine polymorphs within the studied rocks. Our study might contribute to a better understanding of asbestos and asbestiform minerals geometry and arrangement within rocks, and of fibres splitting and release into the environment. At the same time, establish it could also indicate new ways to limit exposure or regulate public accesses to risky sites.ReferencesBloise A. and Miriello D. (2018). Multi-Analytical Approach for Identifying Asbestos Minerals In Situ. Geosciences 2018, 8(4), 133; doi:10.3390/geosciences8040133 Cnudde V. & Boone M. (2013). High-resolution X-ray computed tomography in geosciences: A review of the current technology and applications. Earth-Science Reviews. 123. 1–17.; doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.04.003. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health issue associated to the exposure to asbestos is now a day well-known thanks to many study carried out over the last decades. Asbestos minerals are the mainly constituents of serpentinite and metabasite rocks and could be present in the related soils developed after them. As a consequence of human activities, the release of asbestos minerals into the air increase the risks for human health related to the potential fibres inhalation. With the aim to determine the presence of N.O.A. (Naturally Occurring Asbestos) and their impact on the population, serpentinite rocks and related soil samples located at the San Severino Village (Basilicata region, Southern Italy) have been collected and investigated. This village represents a interesting case study because of the geographic insulation from large urban centers as well as industrial and/or commercial plants, that likely exclude sources of asbestos and asbestiform minerals other than those ones related to the geological features.Detailed characterization of representative specimens was carried out by means of different analytical techniques such as Optical microscopy, XRF, XRPD, SEM-EDS, TEM and TG/DSC. Results pointed out that all the samples contain asbestos minerals (e.g. chrysotile asbestos, tremolite-actinolite) with fibres size that may be associated with carcinogenesis when breathed (World Health Organization, length >5 μm; width <3 μm). Moreover, the interpretation of endo- and exo- thermic peaks of DSC-DDSC curves allowed the serpentine polymorph distinction and the recognition of other phases characterizing the samples (e.g. chrysotile, lizardite, antigorite, polygonal serpentine).In addition, the preliminary geochemical investigation on both rocks and soils highlights that four toxic elements (Cr, Co, Ni, V) in almost all the specimens exceed the regulatory thresholds for public, private and residential green use.In conclusion, our study aims to raise awareness in population who lives near to sites where NOA can be found as well as the institutions that should publish local maps indicating areas with mineralogical concerns, provided that the dispersion of fibres could be associated with health issues.Bloise, A., Catalano, M., Critelli, T., Apollaro, C. &Miriello, D. (2017).Environmental Earth Sciences, 76(19) doi:10.1007/s12665-017-6995-9.Punturo, R., Ricchiuti, C., Mengel, K., Apollaro, C., De Rosa, R., Bloise, A. (2018).Journal of Mediterranean Earth Sciences 10, doi: 10.3304/JMES.2018.015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prismatic crystals of the title compound, up to 100 microm long and {001} twinned by metric merohedry, were obtained as a side-product of a hydrothermal run devoted to synthesizing the heterophyllosilicate lamprophyllite. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data were collected on a Bruker-AXS Smart Apex diffractometer from a crystal with approximate composition (Ba(0.80)Sr(0.20))(4)Ti6Si4O24 x H2O. The structure was solved and refined as a disordered structure in the space group Cmmm [a(o) = 5.906 (2), b(o) = 20.618 (8), c(o) = 16.719 (6) A, R = 0.089 for 682 reflections with I(o) > 2sigma(I(o))], and then deciphered by the order-disorder (OD) theory as an ordered structure and refined in the space group P2/c [a = 5.906, b = 16.719, c = 10.724 A, beta = 105.99 degrees , R = 0.083 for 1090 reflections with I(o) > 2sigma(I(o))]. The discussion based on the OD theory shows that the refined ordered structure corresponds to one (2M) of two maximum degree of order (MDO) polytypes. The structure of the second MDO polytype (4O) was modelled but not refined because it does not substantially occur in our sample. In the structure, infinite (001) ribbons of Ti octahedra elongated along the [100] direction are connected by (SiO3)4 four-membered rings, thus realising a new type of heteropolyhedral framework. The ribbons are three-octahedra wide and one-octahedron thick; they are formed by linking, via edge-sharing, rutile-type edge-sharing rows of octahedra. This ribbon represents a slice of the octahedral sheet that occurs in perrierite-(Ce), Ce4MgFe2Ti2O8(Si2O7)2. The (Ba,Sr) ions are hosted within two independent [100] narrow channels both delimited by four Ti octahedra and four Si tetrahedra. The disorder of H2O is discussed on the basis of a Raman spectrum.