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Dissolution Reaction and Surface Modification of UICC Amosite in Mimicked Gamble’s Solution: A Step towards Filling the Gap between Asbestos Toxicity and Its Crystal Chemical Features

Authors :
Alessandro Pacella
Paolo Ballirano
Maria Cristina Di Carlo
Marzia Fantauzzi
Antonella Rossi
Elisa Nardi
Cecilia Viti
Lorenzo Arrizza
Antonella Campopiano
Annapaola Cannizzaro
Andrea Bloise
Maria Rita Montereali
Source :
Nanomaterials, Vol 13, Iss 22, p 2933 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

This study focuses on the dissolution process and surface characterization of amosite fibres following interaction with a mimicked Gamble’s solution at a pH of 4.5 and T = 37 °C, up to 720 h. To achieve this, a multi-analytical approach was adopted, and the results were compared to those previously obtained on a sample of asbestos tremolite and UICC crocidolite, which were investigated under the same experimental conditions. Combining surface chemical data obtained by XPS with cation release quantified by ICP-OES, an incongruent behaviour of the fibre dissolution was highlighted for amosite fibres, similarly to asbestos tremolite and UICC crocidolite. In particular, a preferential release of Mg and Ca from the amphibole structure was observed, in agreement with their Madelung site energies. Notably, no Fe release from amosite fibres was detected in our experimental conditions (pH of 4.5 and atmospheric pO2), despite the occurrence of Fe(II) at the M(4) site of the amphibole structure, where cations are expected to be rapidly leached out during mineral dissolution. Moreover, the oxidation of both the Fe centres initially present on the fibre surface and those promoted from the bulk, because of the erosion of the outmost layers, was observed. Since biodurability (i.e., the resistance to dissolution) is one of the most important toxicity parameters, the knowledge of the surface alteration of asbestos possibly occurring in vivo may help to understand the mechanisms at the basis of its long-term toxicity.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20794991
Volume :
13
Issue :
22
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Nanomaterials
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.b2ca6d351ca249eca370f8ebafc3b976
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13222933