Environmental effect and genetic influence: a regional cancer predisposition survey in the Zonguldak region of Northwest Turkey

Abstract

The Cretaceous-Eocene volcano-sedimentary units of the Zonguldak region of the western Black Sea consist of subalkaline andesite and tuff, and sandstone dominated by smectite, kaolinite, accessory chlorite, illite, mordenite, and analcime associated with feldspar, quartz, opal-CT, amphibole, and calcite. Kaolinization, chloritization, sericitization, albitization, Fe-Ti-oxidation, and the presence of zeolite, epidote, and illite in andesitic rocks and tuffaceous materials developed as a result of the degradation of a glass shards matrix, enclosed feldspar, and clinopyroxene-type phenocrysts, due to alteration processes. The association of feldspar and glass with smectite and kaolinite, and the suborientation of feldspar-edged, subparallel kaolinite plates to fracture axes may exhibit an authigenic smectite or kaolinite. Increased alteration degree upward in which Al, Fe, and Ti are gained, and Si, Na, K, and Ca are depleted, is due to the alteration following possible diagenesis and hydrothermal activities. Micromorphologically, fibrous mordenite in the altered units and the presence of needle-type chrysotile in the residential buildings in which cancer cases lived were detected. In addition, the segregation pattern of cancer susceptibility in the region strongly suggested an environmental effect and a genetic influence on the increased cancer incidence in the region. The most likely diagnosis was Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which is one of the hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes; however, no mutations were observed in the p53 gene, which is the major cause of Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The micromorphology observed in the altered units in which cancer cases were detected may have a role in the expression of an unidentified gene, but does not explain alone the occurrence of cancer as a primary cause in the region.

Mineralogy, micromorphology, geochemistry and genesis of a hydrothermal kaolinite deposit and altered Miocene host volcanites in the Hallaçlar area, Uşak, western Turkey

“…Leaching and concentration of mobile soluble alkaline elements, and Fe and moderately mobile to immobile Al towards the margin À having relatively poor hydrothermal fluid flux due to a decrease of porosity and permeability character À resulted in an alkaline condition suitable for the precipitation of smectite (Chamley, 1989;Christidis et al, 1995). Concentrations of Al and K upward and outward in the kaolinite deposit resulted in in situ precipitation of illite flakes parallel to microfractures and veins, or conversion of smectite to illite under the high temperatures and pressures of hydrothermal activity, where alkaline microenvironmental conditions were accompanied by restricted drainage within the altered volcanites (Erhenberg, 1991;Meunier & Velde, 2004;Kadir et al, 2008). Locally, concentration of S in conjunction with Fe, Al, K and Ca along microfractures resulted in the precipitation of jarosite, alunite, pyrite and gypsum/anhydrite under acidic conditions that developed in a well drained system (Kadir & Karakas°, 2002;Ece & Schroeder, 2007;Ece et al, 2008;Kadir & Akbulut, 2009).…”

Mineralogy, geochemistry and genesis of the Taşoluk kaolinite deposits in pre-Early Cambrian metamorphites and Neogene volcanites of Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

“…Kaolinization developed during and following sericitization of feldspar in the basement schists via hydrothermal alteration, similar to the case reported by Parry et al (1984). The potash released via the alteration of feldspar and sericitic mica resulted in the in situ precipitation of illite under alkaline environmental conditions, accompanied by limited/restricted drainage (Curtis, 1983;Ehrenberg, 1991;Berner & Berner, 1996;Kadir et al, 2008;Meunier & Velde, 2004;Ziegler, 2006).…”

Genesis of smectite in siliciclastics and pyroclastics of the Eocene İslambeyli Formation in the Lalapaşa region, NW Thrace, Turkey

“…In contrast, smectite from the middleupper parts of the İslambeyli Formation formed diagenetically as a result of devitrification of volcanic glass associated with degraded feldspar and mica (Figs 3e,5d,g). Furthermore, the association of bar-shaped and knobby microorganisms with alteration products indicates that biological processes produced organic acid and may have also led to the dissolution of feldspar, mica and glass shards (Surdam et al, 1984;Kadir et al, 2008). The abundance of Ca-smectite increases vertically upwards in the Islambeyli Formation in the Lalapasa region.…”