Mineral Fibre-Related Bronchial Lesions

Yellow nail syndrome is a rare acquired condition of unknown aetiology associated with distinct nail discolouration/xanthonychia, pulmonary manifestations, and lymphoedema. Pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening are typically, although not exclusively, recognised as markers of prior commercial asbestos exposure. The presence of such biomarkers may assist an asbestos personal injury evaluation. A postmortem examination performed on a 72-year-old man with known long-standing yellow nail syndrome identified pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening. An evaluation of the occupational history identified no known asbestos exposure. Electron microscopic mineral fibre analysis detected no asbestos fibres. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of yellow nail syndrome in which these benign pleural changes are reported ex asbestos. Alternate causes for such pleural pathology were absent. There is merit in physicians and pathologists having an awareness of these new manifestations when considering claimed asbestos related changes during life and at postmortem.

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Mineral fibre reinforcement for ceramic bodies

Composites ◽

10.1016/0010-4361(75)90090-7 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 137

Keyword(s):

Fibre Reinforcement ◽

Mineral Fibre

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Classification of man-made mineral fibre

The Annals of Occupational Hygiene ◽

10.1016/0003-4878(95)98052-p ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 523-526

Author(s):

M MELDRUM

Keyword(s):

Mineral Fibre

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Characterisation of fibrous ferrierite in the rhyolitic tuffs at Lovelock, Nevada, USA

Mineralogical Magazine ◽

10.1180/mgm.2019.25 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 83 (4) ◽

pp. 577-586 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alessandro Zoboli ◽

Dario Di Giuseppe ◽

Cecilia Baraldi ◽

Maria Cristina Gamberini ◽

Daniele Malferrari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Analyses ◽

Local Population ◽

Crystal Habit ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Mining Operations ◽

Precautionary Approach ◽

Mineral Fibre ◽

Fibrous Morphology

AbstractFerrierite is the name for a series of zeolite-group of minerals which includes three species with the same ferrierite framework (FER) crystal structure but different extra-framework cations. Recent studies have shown that ferrierite can exhibit a fibrous-asbestiform crystal habit and may possess the same properties as carcinogenic fibrous erionite. Characterisation of the ferrierite in and around a mine location will be helpful in assessing the potential for toxic outcomes of exposure in the mine and any local population.The zeolite-rich tuff deposit of Lovelock, Nevada, USA is the largest occurrence of diagenetic ferrierite-Mg. A previous survey reported that ferrierite hosted in these rocks displays a fibrous morphology. However, these observations concerned a limited number of samples and until now there has been little evidence of widespread occurrence of fibrous ferrierite in the Lovelock deposit.The main goal of this study was to perform a mineralogical and morphometric characterisation of the tuff deposit at Lovelock and evaluate the distribution of fibrous ferrierite in the outcrop. For this purpose, a multi-analytical approach including powder X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission microscopies, micro-Raman spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and surface-area determination was applied.The results prove fibrous ferrierite is widespread and intermixed with mordenite and orthoclase, although there are variations in the spatial distribution in the bedrock. The crystal habit of the ferrierite ranges from prismatic to asbestiform (elongated, thin and slightly flexible) and fibres are aggregated in bundles. According to the WHO counting criteria, most of the ferrierite fibres can be classified as breathable. While waiting for confirmatory in vitro and in vivo tests to assess the actual toxicity/pathogenicity potential of this mineral fibre, it is recommended to adopt a precautionary approach for mining operations in this area to reduce the risk of exposure.

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