K. Luoto et al., DURABILITY OF MAN-MADE VITREOUS FIBERS AS ASSESSED BY DISSOLUTION OF SILICON, IRON AND ALUMINUM IN RAT ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES, The Annals of occupational hygiene, 39(6), 1995, pp. 855-867
The dissolution of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) by rat alveolar mac
rophages (AM) was studied in vitro. The fibre samples included refract
ory ceramic (RCF 1-4), glasswool (MMVF 10, 11), rockwool (MMVF 21) and
slagwool fibres (MMVF 22). Experimental fibre REC 1 of calcium silica
te type served as an internal control fibre. The fibres were incubated
with cultured rat AM or in mere cell-culture medium for 2, 4 or 8 day
s. The dissolution of the fibres was determined by measuring the amoun
t of silicon (Si), iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) in the medium with or
without rat AM. Si was markedly dissolved only from the glasswool fibr
es (MMVF 10 and 11) and from the experimental fibre REC 1. Fe was diss
olved, in turn, more from rockwool fibres than from the other fibres.
Al was effectively dissolved from the ceramic fibres (RCF) 1-3. The di
ssolution of Fe and Al from the fibres was effective in the presence o
f AM, whereas the dissolution of Si was greater in the mere culture me
dium. The results of present study suggest that glasswool fibres (MMVF
10 and 11) are dissolved more readily in mere culture medium where th
e pH is close to neutral, whereas rockwool fibres are sensitive to the
effects of more acidic milieu in AM culture.