Kandovan the next ‘Capadoccia’? – A potential public health issue for erionite related mesothelioma risk

Abstract

Background:The Kandovan region in Iran is physically and geologically similar to the Cappadocian region in Turkey where fibrous zeolites, including erionite, have been found in volcanic tuffs. In some Cappodocian villages there is strong evidence that erionite, and possibly related minerals, are responsible for the high level of mesothelioma found there. So, although mesothelioma clusters have not been reported in Kandovan, it is a plausible hypothesis that many cases of mesothelioma in Iran may be due to naturally occurring fibrous zeolites.Methods: A detailed study of Iranian geology was made to determine similarities between the Kandovan region and Cappadocia, ‘inter-mountain zones’ in the Western US and Mexico. Areas where mesothelioma cases probably attributable to erionite exposure have been found. Results:Although there is a long history of asbestos use in Iran many cases of mesothelioma do not present with positive asbestos exposure histories. Since fibrous zeolites are so widespread, why have not more mesotheliomas attributable to them been found throughout Iran? Various possible reasons were explored including misdiagnosis, poor surveillance, a general lack of awareness that this tumor may be linked to mineral fibre exposure. There is also the analytical problem of identifying fibrous erionite in lung tissue.Conclusions:There is every reason to believe mesotheliomas due to fibrous zeolite including erionite will be found in Iran. The most likely places to find them are the villages that look very similar to those found in Cappadocia since these are based upon similar geological formations.

Environmental pollution as a result of a vacuum deficit in the working areas during asbestos removal work.

“…The second one was measured with an average range of 11,400 -14,400 f/m 3 [28]. A comparison of such remote regions cannot ignore natural sources and the types of asbestos associated with them [29] (In Poland, they are practically non-existent and the air is dominated by chrysotile, a basic kind of asbestos in ACM products in buildings. )…”

Asbest und andere gefährliche faserige Mineralien: Potenzielle Expositionswege und damit verbundene Gesundheitsrisiken

“…Es wurde auch geschlussfolgert, dass die exponierte Bevölkerungsgruppe klein sein würde, doch dies könnte daran liegen, dass die Studienorte, d.h. Rome in Oregon und East Gate in Nevada (zuvor von Wright et al [27] untersucht) zwei kleine, rechtlich unselbständige Gemeinden waren (Siedlungen, die nicht von ihrer eigenen lokalen kommunalen Körperschaft verwaltet werden), die dünn besiedelt sind. Das geringe Auftreten von mit faserigem Erionit assoziierten MM-Fällen im Westen der USA wurde von anderen Autoren mit diesem Faktor in Verbindung gebracht [28].…”