Detecting asbestos fibres and cleavage fragments produced after mechanical tests on ophiolite rocks: clues for the asbestos hazard evaluation

Authors

  • Girolamo Belardi <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>
  • Gianluca Vignaroli <p><span>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;</span>Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p><span></span><span>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,</span><br /><span>Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</span></p>
  • Francesca Trapasso <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>
  • Alessandro Pacella <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>
  • Daniele Passeri <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3304/JMES.2018.016

Keywords:

Fibrous particle, rock mechanical test, asbestos hazard, environmental management, ophiolite

Abstract

The generation of particulate matter emitted by management of ophiolite rock volumes (e.g., mining, crushing, grinding, and milling) induces environmental impact due to production and dispersion of particles with fibrous habit and silica chemistry, which can be potentially classifiable as asbestos. In this view, linking the properties of the starting rock materials with the characteristics of particles generated after mechanical stress on rocks is preparatory for discussing the environmental impact due to the asbestos hazard. This study deals with the characteristics (in terms of size, morphology and mineral classification) of particles generated after application of three different mechanical stress procedures (i.e. crushing, micronizing, and abrasion) on five ophiolite lithotypes (i.e. rock sequences of mafic and ultramafic composition) and a synthetic material obtained from rock mixing. The combined use of electron transmission microscopy and particle size analyser has been performed on crushed particulate matter for identification of asbestos fibres. The asbestos hazard evaluation has been compared with the routine counting criteria. The results show that all the investigated lithotypes, independently of their petrographic characteristics, resulted able to spread out fibres into the environment after application of mechanical tests. Anyway, the counting criteria adopted for the fibre classification strongly affects the asbestos hazard evaluation. Presently, the procedures for differentiating asbestos fibres and cleavage fragments produced after mechanical tests led to divergent interpretations in assessing the potential environmental impact in natural sites.

Author Biographies

Girolamo Belardi, <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>

Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria

Gianluca Vignaroli, <p><span>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;</span>Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p><span></span><span>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,</span><br /><span>Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</span></p>

Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria

Francesca Trapasso, <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>

Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria

Alessandro Pacella, <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>

Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria

Daniele Passeri, <p>Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche -&nbsp;Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria</p> <p>Area della Ricerca di Roma 1 - Montelibretti,<br />Via Salaria km 29,300 - 00015 Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.</p>

Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria

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Published

2018-09-05

How to Cite

Belardi, G., Vignaroli, G., Trapasso, F., Pacella, A., & Passeri, D. (2018). Detecting asbestos fibres and cleavage fragments produced after mechanical tests on ophiolite rocks: clues for the asbestos hazard evaluation. Journal of Mediterranean Earth Sciences, 10. https://doi.org/10.3304/JMES.2018.016

Issue

Section

Naturally Occurring Asbestos: state of the art and strategies for investigation and management