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Published on: May 4, 2017
[Assessment of asbestos exposure via mineralogical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid]
R Romeo1, G Scancarello, P Cassano
1Sezione di Medicina del Lavoro, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Scienze Immunologiche, Università degli Studi di Siena.
Background:
Mineralogical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by electron microscopy could be the most suitable method for assessing asbestos exposure. However, it has been claimed that there is not a standardized or systematic approach to the subject of mineralogical analysis.
Objectives:
The aim of the study was to evaluate mineralogical analysis of BALF by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as biomarker of asbestos fibre load.
Methods:
BALF was examined in 193 exposed workers (189 men and 4 women) and in 84 patients (65 men and 19 women) who underwent diagnostic fibreoptic bronchoscopy for various clinical purposes. Asbestos bodies (AB) in BALF were counted with a phase contrast microscope, while fibres were counted and analysed by TEM.
Results:
Fibre counting by TEM showed a significant difference in the two populations (two tailed Mann-Whitney U test, p=0.0044), since it was positive in all exposed subjects. Only 75.1% of the exposed population was positive for asbestos bodies (AB). Subjects who had been exposed over a long time period had higher concentrations of fibres than subjects who had been exposed more recently probably because of higher exposure in the past.
Conclusions:
The study confirms the results of a previous study on a limited number of subjects. Fibre concentrations in BALF can be considered as a reliable biomarker of past asbestos exposure even after many years after cessation of exposure.
