The six natural silicates known as asbestos may induce fatal lung diseases via inhalation, with a latency period of decades. The five amphibole asbestos species are assumed to be biopersistent in the lungs, and for this reason they are considered much more toxic than serpentine asbestos (chrysotile). Here, we refined the atomic structure of an amosite amphibole asbestos fibre that had remained in a human lung for 40 years, in order to verify the stability in vivo. The subject was originally exposed to a blend of chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite, which remained in his parietal pleura for 40 years. We found a few relicts of chrysotile fibres that were amorphous and magnesium depleted. Amphibole fibres that were recovered were undamaged and suitable for synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction experiments. Our crystal structure refinement from a recovered amosite fibre demonstrates that the original atomic distribution in the crystal is intact and, consequently, that the atomic structure of amphibole asbestos fibres remains stable in the lungs for a lifetime; during which time they can cause chronic inflammation and other adverse effects that are responsible for carcinogenesis. The amosite fibres are not iron depleted proving that the iron pool for the formation of the asbestos bodies is biological (haemoglobin/plasma derived) and that it does not come from the asbestos fibres themselves.
Crystal structure determination of a lifelong biopersistent asbestos fibre using single-crystal synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction / Giacobbe, C.; Di Giuseppe, D.; Zoboli, A.; Gualtieri, M. L.; Bonasoni, P.; Moliterni, A.; Corriero, N.; Altomare, A.; Wright, J.; Gualtieri, A. F.. - In: IUCRJ. - ISSN 2052-2525. - 8:(2021), pp. 76-86. [10.1107/S2052252520015079]
Data di pubblicazione: | 2021 | |
Titolo: | Crystal structure determination of a lifelong biopersistent asbestos fibre using single-crystal synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction | |
Autore/i: | Giacobbe, C.; Di Giuseppe, D.; Zoboli, A.; Gualtieri, M. L.; Bonasoni, P.; Moliterni, A.; Corriero, N.; Altomare, A.; Wright, J.; Gualtieri, A. F. | |
Autore/i UNIMORE: | ||
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/S2052252520015079 | |
Rivista: | ||
Volume: | 8 | |
Pagina iniziale: | 76 | |
Pagina finale: | 86 | |
Codice identificativo ISI: | WOS:000608819200008 | |
Codice identificativo Scopus: | 2-s2.0-85103258830 | |
Codice identificativo Pubmed: | 33520244 | |
Citazione: | Crystal structure determination of a lifelong biopersistent asbestos fibre using single-crystal synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction / Giacobbe, C.; Di Giuseppe, D.; Zoboli, A.; Gualtieri, M. L.; Bonasoni, P.; Moliterni, A.; Corriero, N.; Altomare, A.; Wright, J.; Gualtieri, A. F.. - In: IUCRJ. - ISSN 2052-2525. - 8:(2021), pp. 76-86. [10.1107/S2052252520015079] | |
Tipologia | Articolo su rivista |
File in questo prodotto:
File | Descrizione | Tipologia | |
---|---|---|---|
Giacobbe et al 2021.pdf | Versione dell'editore (versione pubblicata) | Open Access Visualizza/Apri |
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris