PECULIARITIES OF THE CLASTOGENIC PROPERTIES OF CHRYSOTILE-ASBESTOS FIBERS AND ZEOLITE PARTICLES

It has been established that chrysotile-asbestos fibers and zeolite pa rticles induce chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes from whole blood cultures, peritoneal fluid cells and bone marrow cells of mice. It is shown that the level of cytogenetic response from the intraperit oneal administration of chrysotile-asbestos fibers and zeolite particl es depends on the time of their exposure. Further, it is shown that SO D eliminates the cytogenetic effect of chrysotile-asbestos fibers, whi le catalase inhibits that of zeolite particles. Recommendations concer ning testing for the mutagenic properties of mineral fibers and partic les are given, and possible mechanisms of their damaging effects are d iscussed.