Environmental Asbestos Exposure Distribution of the Fibres in the Lungs

Stanka I. Deneva, Kolio C. Kolev and Basil I. Kapurdov

National Center of Hygiene, Sofia, Bulgaria
 
Corresponding author: Stanka Ilieva Deneva,
Bulgaria, Sofia
1336, post restante
EGH 6003148230


Keywords:
Asbestos, chrysotile, fibre, lung content, transmission electron microscopy

Abbreviations:
TEM = transmission electron microscopy
f/g d. t. = fibres per g dry tissue
L = length
L/D = length to diameter

Abstract:
A group of seven deceased persons without occupational exposure to asbestos was investigated. Electronmicroscopically (TEM) lung fibre concentrations were determined with electron diffraction identification of the asbestos fibres. An even fibre distribution was found in the subpleural, central and parahilar lung regions with slight tendency to predominant fibre localization in the lower lobes. No correlation was drawn between the fibre contents in pleura and in lung parenchyma. The fibres in pleura were finer than those in lung parenchyma and rarely were longer than 5 mm.


Received: 5 January 1998
Accepted: 14 July 1998
 
Posted: 19 November 1998
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