[Railway use of asbestos-containing rubble: environmental hygienic aspects]. / Ekologo-gigienicheskie aspekty primeneniia asbestsoderzhashchego ballasta na zheleznykh dorogakh.

The paper presents the results of a study of the gravimetric and counting concentrations of respirable asbestos fibers while working with sand-and-crushed stone mixtures, obtained from the concentration of chrysotile asbestos, at distances of 25, 50, and 100 m from the working place, as well as in a car saloon when the electric train passes along the area of these operations following an hour, a day, and a year after the completion of work, in warm and colds seasons of a year. It is concluded that the use of asbestos-containing sand-and-crushed stone mixtures on the railway leads to a higher anthropogenic asbestos load on the population living in the railway right-of-way, on railway workers and passengers. In this connection, it is necessary to evaluate risk factors of asbestos-induced diseases among the above contingents. The authors consider that due to the fact that asbestos-containing sand-and-crushed stone mixtures are well wetted with water, followed by the formation of a firm surface crust that prevents dust formation, as well as the short duration and rare frequency of operations relating their change, it is necessary to irrigate the repair areas with water or surfactant liquids after work termination.

[Content of asbestos fibers in water sources of the Bazhenovo deposit]. / Soderzhanie volokon asbesta v vodoistochnikakh Bazhenovskogo mestorozhdeniia.

The paper provides preliminary measurements of asbestos levels in water sources from an area of the Bazhenovo chrysotile-asbestos deposit. All study water samples have been found to contain chrysotile-asbestos fibers at concentrations one-three orders less that the values standardized in the USA (7 x 10(6) vol/l). The authors consider it advisable to continue studies to measure asbestos levels in the water sources in the areas in vicinity of other Russian deposits.

[Sanitary characteristics of the production of asbestos membranes]. / Gigienicheskaia kharakteristika proizvodstva asbestovykh membran.

The paper presents preliminary results of sanitary assessment of the production of asbestos membranes. The production may emit highly disperse asbestos-containing aerosols of disintegration with low levels of filamentous particles and respirable fibers of chrysotile-asbestos into the air of working areas. It is concluded that latest chrysotile-asbestos processing is not a significant source of air pollution in the working areas where asbestos-containing and related noxious substances are present.

[Effect of low concentration of asbestos-containing dust]. / K voprosu o deistvii nizkikh kontsentratsii asbestosoderzhashchikh pylei.

Dust, particularly fibrous, in atmosphere of Asbest town was characterized. Pulmonary cancer mortality in Asbest town and towns of nearby area were compared and no significant difference was found. Overall pulmonary cancer mortality was higher in the region than in Asbest. Obtained data served as a basis for discussion on the action threshold of asbestos-containing dust. MAC for asbestos fibers in atmosphere is reported to be 0.06 respirable fibers per ml.