[In vitro research on the interaction of natural zeolites with diploid cells from the human embryonic lung]

A study of the biological effect of the natural zeolites, clinoptilolite, mordenite and erionite on monostratum cellular culture of human embryonic lung is performed. The number of pyknotic cells, morphological changes in the cells, and monostratum, mitotic activity and changes in the cellular culture are reported during a continuous experiment. As positive control is used standard quartz dust DQ-12 and for negative dust of TiO2. It is already established that the dust particles of natural zeolites with dimensions under 5 micron display biological aggressiveness. With most strongly expressed effect is the clinoptilolite dust, which related to identical active surface, is comparable to that of quartz DQ-12. The mordenite is with moderate cytotoxic effect, proportional to the time and concentration, while erionite is with slight and very delayed effect. There are differences concerning the effect on the miotic activity of the cells. The biologic aggressiveness of the zeolites is discussed in relation to their strong active surface, their ionometabolic properties and their capacity to generate hydrogen at moistering.