[Respirable mineral fibers in atmospheric air of Wroclaw]. / Respirabilne wlókna mineralne w powietrzu atmosferycznym Wroclawia.

Serpentine asbestos from the Naslawice mine, which contains mineral impurities of the serpentinite group--chrysotile and antigortie, has been used to built school sports grounds as well as roads and playgrounds within residential areas. The study was aimed to measure concentrations of respirable mineral fibres in the atmospheric air at the time children were playing on one of the playgrounds as well as at four other sites of Wroclaw. Air samples were collected using individual dosimeters and distributions of length and concentration of fibres were measured by means of a laser fiber monitor FM7400. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectrometry were used to determine the mineral composition of raw material collected from the playground. Morphology of particles of dust from the atmospheric air was analysed by means of electronic microscopy. It was found that the concentration of mineral fibres in the air in question depended on the number of children playing, namely when 7 children were playing the concentration value was equal to 165 fibres/litre and 549 fibres/litre with the number of 20 children. The concentration of fibres in a flat in the vicinity of the playground covered with serpentinite was about 11 times higher than at a street crossing with heavy traffic of motor vehicles. Antigorite and chrysotile were found in samples of raw material used to cover the playground. Numerous particles of fibrous structure were observed in the electronic microscopy image of air dust samples collected from the playground.

[Effect of water sprinkling on total dust and mineral fiber concentration during serpentine asbestos processing]. / Wplyw zraszania wodnego na stezenia pylu calkowitego i stezenia wlókien mineralynch przy przerobie serpentynitu.

By means of personal air sampler and Fibre Monitor FM-7400 concentrations of total dust and respirable mineral fibre were measured at work-posts, after sprinkling places with the highest emission of dust, in the plant where serpentine asbestos, used as road stone, was processed. It was found that due to sprinkling mean concentrations of total dust during a shift decreased by 1.5 (at inspection post) to 13.5 times at the post where crushing and sorting machines were served (before sprinkling -29.7 mg/m3 and after 2.2 mg/m3). It was found, at the same time, that sprinkling no decreased the concentration of mineral fibres.

[Various ecological problems related to mining and processing of serpentine. Evaluation of non-occupational exposure of the population of Naslawice to fibrous mineral dust]. / Niektóre problemy ekologiczne towarzyszace wydobyciu i przetwarzaniu serpentynitu. Ocena narazenia pozazawodowego na mineralny pyl wlóknisty ludnosci zamieszkalej w Naslawicach.

Non-occupational exposure of the population living in the vicinity of the serpentine mining and processing mill in Naslawice was assessed. The evaluation was based on the phase analysis and determination of respirable mineral fibres content in the samples of dust fall and soil in the fields nearby the mine, as well as on the in-door and out-door measurements of airborne fibres concentration. All soil samples contained antigorite--a mineral the structure of which is close to that of chrysotile asbestos add exhibiting high biological aggressiveness. The respirable mineral fibres content in the dust fall-out and in the soil ranged from 98,000 to 480,000 per 1 mg and from 48,000 to 122,000 per 1 mg, respectively, whereas the airborne concentrations were from 2 to 1540 fibres/l (outdoor) and from 4 to 7 fibres/l (indoor). The fall of dust in the years 1989-1990, recorded at all measuring points, exceeded 200,000 kg/km2 yearly (admissible value). The airborne concentrations of respirable mineral fibres were also higher than the admissible value (1 fibre/l of the air). The results obtained indicate that the exposure of the population in Naslawice to mineral fibrous dusts has significantly exceeded to maximum admissible concentrations established for non-occupational exposure.

[Evaluation of occupational exposure of workers engaged in mining of rock raw materials in the Sleza massif]. / Ocena narazenia zawodowego pracowników zatrudnionych przy wydobyciu surowców skalnych na obszarze masywu Slezy.

In two serpentinite mines and in a factory producing asphalt pavements using serpentinite, exposure to dusts and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (WWA-fraction soluble in benzene) was assessed. In rock samples taken in the serpentinite mine and in dust samples from work posts crystalline phases were determined (using X-ray radiography and spectrometry in infrared). Also, morphology of dust particles was performed using electron microscopy. Both in the rock samples and in dust fibrous antigorite, a mineral of strong cancerogenic properties, was found. Total dust concentrations varied between 1.05 and 280 mg/m3, concentration of respirable mineral fibres from 0.01 to 3.56 fibre/cm3, and concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons varied between 266.7 and 850 micrograms/m3. The study will be continued concerning evaluation of biological effect of serpentinite in animal experiments and assessment of extraoccupational exposure of people living in the neighbourhood of serpentinite mines and plants processing this mineral.