Urinary asbestos fibers and inorganic particles in past asbestos workers

Abstract

To assess the validity of the procedure as test of exposure to asbestos, we compared urinary asbestos fibers with occupational and environmental exposure data in a random sample of 48 patients. Occupational and environmental asbestos exposure were estimated on questionnaire, pleural plaques were diagnosed with computed tomography, inorganic fibers and particles were identified by scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectrometry. Few urinary asbestos fibers (in 15% of workers and in 17% of cases with pleural plaques) and high amount of urinary silicate (particularly nonfibrous particles) were detected. Asbestos undergoes dissolution in lung tissues but the secondary minerals are largely unknown. These materials, possibly nonfibrous silicates or metals, could be excreted with urine. Therefore, another study including a control group is warranted to discriminate the occupational origin of minerals in the urine.

Italian pool of asbestos workers cohorts: mortality trends of asbestos-related neoplasms after long time since first exposure

“…This was an unexpected result that needs further evaluation. Asbestos fibres were detected in urines36 but bladder cancers are seldom reported in excess in asbestos cohort studies. Preliminary analyses (not given in detail) suggest that the risk was concentrated in the industrial sectors where asbestos exposure is associated to combustion fumes and other agents related to metalworking and painting.…”

Occupational exposure to asbestos and risk of kidney cancer: an updated meta-analysis

“…More evidence of capacity for asbestos fibers to reach kidney has been provided by necropsy studies of humans; moreover, asbestos fibers have been founded in human urine [66].…”