Giordani Matteo, Mattioli Michele, Ballirano Paolo, Pacella Alessandro, Cenni Marco, Boscardin Matteo, Valentini Laura
a Dipartimento di Scienze Pure e Applicate , Università di Urbino Carlo Bo , Urbino , Italy.
b Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra , Sapienza Università di Roma , Roma , Italy.
J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2017;20(2):81-103. doi: 10.1080/10937404.2016.1263586. Epub 2017 Mar 1.
Erionite is a zeolite representing a well-known health hazard. In fact, exposure of humans to its fibers has been unequivocally associated with occurrence of malignant mesothelioma. For this reason, a multi-methodological approach, based upon field investigation, morphological characterization, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) chemical analysis, and structure refinement through X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), was applied to different samples of potentially carcinogenic erionite from Northern Italy. The studied crystals have a chemical composition ranging from erionite-Ca to erionite-Na and display variable morphologies, varying from prismatic, through acicular and fibrous, to extremely fibrous asbestiform habits. The fibrous samples were characterized by an unusual preferred partition of aluminum (Al) at tetrahedral site T1 instead of tetrahedral site T2. Further, a mismatch between the a-parameter of erionite-Ca and levyne-Ca that are intergrown in the asbestiform sample was detected. This misfit was coupled to a relevant micro-strain to maintain structure coherency at the boundary. Erionite occurs in 65% of the investigated sites, with an estimated quantity of 10 to 40 vol% of the associated minerals. The presence of this mineral is of concern for risk to human health, especially if one considers the vast number of quarries and mining-related activities that are operating in the zeolite host rocks. The discovery of fibrous and asbestiform erionite in Northern Italy suggests the need for a detailed risk assessment in all Italian areas showing the same potential hazard, with specific studies such as a quantification of the potentially respirable airborne fibers and targeted epidemiological surveillance.
毛沸石是一种已知对健康有危害的沸石。事实上，人体接触其纤维已明确与恶性间皮瘤的发生有关。因此，采用了一种多方法途径，包括实地调查、形态表征、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）/能谱仪（EDS）化学分析以及通过X射线粉末衍射（XRPD）进行结构细化，对来自意大利北部具有潜在致癌性的不同毛沸石样品进行研究。所研究的晶体化学组成范围从钙型毛沸石到钠型毛沸石，呈现出多样的形态，从棱柱形到针状、纤维状，直至极纤维状的石棉状习性。纤维状样品的特征是铝（Al）在四面体位置T1而非四面体位置T2出现异常的优先分布。此外，在石棉状样品中共生生长的钙型毛沸石和钙菱沸石的a参数之间检测到失配。这种失配与相关的微应变相结合，以在边界处维持结构的连贯性。毛沸石出现在65%的调查地点，估计占相关矿物的10%至40%（体积）。这种矿物的存在令人担忧对人类健康的风险，特别是考虑到在沸石主岩中运营的大量采石场和与采矿相关的活动。在意大利北部发现纤维状和石棉状毛沸石表明，需要对意大利所有显示相同潜在危害的地区进行详细的风险评估，并开展特定研究，如对潜在可吸入空气纤维的量化和有针对性的流行病学监测。
