CHARACTERIZATION OF CHEMICAL INTERACTION OF ASBESTOS SURFACES DURING CULTURING WITH LUNG-CELLS

The pathogenic nature of asbestos has become an established fact in en vironmental science. This is particularly true for the injury of epith elial cells. Although speculation exists as to the involvement of the fibrous nature of asbestos silicates, and/or the adverse oxidative pro perties of any ferrous components, as of yet, no concrete mechanism ha s been discerned for this pathogenic interaction. It should be apparen t, however, that since the silicates are apparently altering the chemi cal and structural properties of the cells, stoichiometry requires som e type of corresponding chemical alteration in the properties of the a sbestoses. In the present case, we report on a variety of interesting results centered around the latter ''reverse mechanism.'' In these stu dies, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy or electron speetroscopy for ch emical analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and electron spin res onance were employed to track the behavior and alterations of the chry sotile silicates immersed in select,cell cultures. In this regard, a u nique mechanism is hypothesized involving (1) selective chemical attac hment of the cellular bodies to the tetrahedral silicate layer of the asbestos, (2) followed by progressive extraction of some of the Mg, an d then (3) any Ee that may be present is partially drawn out of the oc tahedral layers, and (4) eventually the latter species are found to lo dge in the cells where chemical involvement with oxidants produced in the life cycle (such as H2O2) may generate peroxides through a fenton- type mechanism. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.