Crystal-chemical characterization and study of the surface reactivity of mineral fibers of environmental and health interest for the purpose of an accurate analysis of the risk of contamination
A consortium consisting of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" (Lead), the University of Turin-Scansetti Center, ENEA, the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and the CNR-IGG (Turin Unit) was awarded funding (January 2020) for a two-year research project, which will begin in May 2020.
The project, titled "Crystallological characterization and study of the surface reactivity of mineral fibers of environmental and health interest for the purpose of an accurate contamination risk analysis," is part of the "BRIC" research funding program of INAIL – the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work.
The project aims to assess the environmental hazard associated with the presence of fibrous minerals (NOA, Naturally Occurring Asbestos) in natural contexts. The project will focus on three fibrous minerals from three different geological contexts: fibrous antigorite in the serpentinites of the Voltri Massif (Liguria); fibrous tremolite in the serpentinites of the Calabrian-Lucanian Apennines (Basilicata); and fibrous fluoredenite in Pleistocene lava rocks from the Biancavilla site (CT), on the slopes of Mount Etna.
The study will be divided into three phases:
1) Definition of the relationships between lithology, mineralogy, and meso-/microscopic structural settings of the rock outcrops and the occurrence and characteristics of the fibrous minerals (CNR-IGG Turin and University of Turin);
2) Analysis of the relationship between crystal-chemical characteristics, surface reactivity, and in vitro toxicity to define the hazardousness of the selected mineral fibers;
3) Integration of the results of the geological, mineralogical, and toxicological investigations to assess the environmental hazard in the sample areas.
The project will provide the analytical and conceptual tools to plan health strategies to mitigate the risk of exposure of workers and the resident population in areas contaminated by mineral fibers that are potentially hazardous to human health.