Ramkissoon Chandnee, Pavan Cristina, Petriglieri Jasmine Rita, Fimiani Marianna, Pisaniello Dino, Gaskin Sharyn, Turci Francesco
School of Public Health, Adelaide Exposure Science and Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, 10125, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 15;15(1):25451. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10460-w.
The re-emergence of silicosis among engineered stone (ES) workers has prompted the development of low- to no-crystalline silica (SiO) ES products, marketed as safer alternatives to traditional high-SiO ES. However, the composition of these new materials-often incorporating recycled minerals, binders, and pigments-remains complex and poorly characterized in terms of potential health risks. This study assessed the physico-chemical properties and membranolytic activity of dusts generated by mechanical processing of five ES samples (ranging from 90 to 0 wt% SiO) and a natural stone as comparison. Dusts were analyzed for particle size distribution, mineralogy, morphology and zeta potential. A standard membranolysis assay was used to assess relative cytotoxicity. Dusts from new ES slabs contained lower quartz and cristobalite levels (23 to 0 wt%) than traditional ES, with crystalline silica replaced predominantly by silicates, aluminosilicates, amorphous phases, or gibbsite. Untreated ES dusts showed little membranolytic activity. However, after heating to remove organic binding resins, a high membranolytic activity was observed for traditional ES, and to a lesser degree for low-SiO ES. No activity was observed in no-SiO ES, composed primarily of gibbsite. Our findings suggest that reducing crystalline silica content may mitigate certain toxicological risks. However, the diverse and evolving composition of alternative ES products warrants ongoing toxicological evaluation.
工程石材（ES）工人中矽肺病的再度出现促使了低至无结晶二氧化硅（SiO）的ES产品的开发，这些产品作为传统高SiO ES的更安全替代品进行销售。然而，这些新材料的成分——通常包含回收矿物质、粘合剂和颜料——在潜在健康风险方面仍然复杂且特征不明。本研究评估了五个ES样品（SiO含量从90%到0 wt%）以及一种天然石材经机械加工产生的粉尘的物理化学性质和膜溶解活性，并将其作为对照。对粉尘进行了粒度分布、矿物学、形态学和zeta电位分析。采用标准膜溶解试验评估相对细胞毒性。新型ES板材产生的粉尘中石英和方石英含量（23%至0 wt%）低于传统ES，结晶二氧化硅主要被硅酸盐、铝硅酸盐、非晶相或三水铝石取代。未经处理的ES粉尘几乎没有膜溶解活性。然而，在加热去除有机粘结树脂后，观察到传统ES具有较高的膜溶解活性，低SiO ES的膜溶解活性较低。在主要由三水铝石组成的无SiO ES中未观察到活性。我们的研究结果表明，降低结晶二氧化硅含量可能会减轻某些毒理学风险。然而，替代ES产品多样且不断演变的成分需要持续进行毒理学评估。
