Editorial
Evaluation of occupational hazards of airborne asbestos fibres
F. Valić
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Z. Skurić
; Škola narodnog zdravlja »Andrija Štampar« Medicinskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Asbestos Convention No. 162 and Asbestos Recommendation No. 172 adopted at the General Conference of the International Labour Organization in 1986, stipulate that for the monitoring of workers' exposure to asbestos fibres methods are to be used which have been approved by a competent national authority. The Yugoslav Assembly is likely to ratify the above documents in- the period 1987/88. It is for that reason that a standard monitoring method is proposed in this pa per. The most recent views on the ecological and biological basis for the evaluation of occupational health hazards of airborne fibres, and particularly those of asbestos, are critically reviewed. Factors are analysed which influence the transport, deposition and retention of fibres in the respiratory tract as a function of the fibre length and diameter, as well as the mechanisms of fibre disintegration and translocation. Based on these factors, considering also the most probable sites of fibrogenic and carcinogenic action in the respiratory tract, critical dimensions are defined of fibres to be analysed in order to determine the pathogenic fibre fractions. A standard method is proposed of asbestos fibre sampling on membrane filters evaluated by phase contrast optical microscopy. The relationships between the results obtained by optical and electron microscopies are reviewed. Particular attention is given to possible optional alternative methods using the thermal precipitator, the konimeter or the midget impinger. The indispensability of standardization of these methods against the membrane filter is emphasized.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
152818
URI
Publication date:
31.1.1989.
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