Naturally occurring asbestos and its possible environmental and health implications in the Basilicata region...

Asbestos that occurs in the environment and has not been extracted for commercial purposes is commonly referred to as Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA). Research has shown a higher-than-expected incidence of mesothelioma in populations residing near NOA sites across California, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Corsica, and New Caledonia. In Italy, in the area around Pollino Massif (Basilicata region), a total of 124 mesothelioma cases were documented among population living in the villages of Castelluccio Superiore and Inferiore, Lauria, Latronico, Episcopia, San Severino Lucano, and Francavilla in Sinni. In this work for the first time, we report the morphological and chemical structural characterization of asbestos tremolite samples from the NOA outcrops in the Pollino area (Basilicata region). The detailed sample characterization has been attained by using a multi-analytical approach (EMP, SEM-EDS, TEM-EDS, Mössabuer, X-ray powder diffraction, and thermal analysis). Morphological investigation highlighted that a significant fraction of each sample (ca. 50%) consists of long fibres (> 5 µm) having width below 0.25 µm, considered the most carcinogenic fibres. Additionally, all asbestos samples showed the presence of Fe at the octahedral sites of the tremolite structure. This is relevant from the toxicological point of view because the presence of Fe in the fibre structure is a critical factor in asbestos pathogenicity. Obtained results provide a solid foundation for better understanding the potential health risks associated with asbestos tremolite in the Pollino Massif area. They also highlight the importance of constant monitoring and risk assessment to protect local communities from asbestos exposure.