Fate of the miraculous mineral--ban asbestos worldwide campaign.

Asbestos is a generic term used to describe natural mineral fibers found in the ground in many regions of the world. This cheap material with special chemical and physical properties that make it virtually indestructible was widely used in the 20th century. Within twenty years of the first industrial production, the public health hazards associated with asbestos started to come to light. Asbestos has become one of the most worrying industrial pollutants, since it poses a health hazard of asbestosis, lung cancer, mesotheliomas, and benign changes in the pleura. In spite of the WHO recommendations, environmental health criteria and their revision, asbestos is still around.

In vitro assessment of asbestos fibers genotoxicity.

This study was carried out in order to assess the genotoxic effect of in vitro exposure to commercial chrysotile asbestos. V 79 cell line, known as a well-established cellular model, was used for detection of asbestos genotoxic potency. Conventional structural chromosomal aberration analysis and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) method were both used for asbestos genotoxicity assessment. Within the experimental protocol applied, V 79 cells were treated with asbestos in concentrations of 100 and 200 micrograms/ml F-10 (HAM) media during 90 days, respectively. Analysis of changes in chromosome structure as well as of cell ploidy was performed each tenth day of the experimental course, consecutively. Two hundred well spread metaphases were taken into account for chromosomal aberration analysis. Frequency of sister chromatid exchanges was observed in 50 cells per sample. The results of cytogenetic tests revealed structural chromosomal damages, SCE-elevation and changes in cell ploidy. Cytogenetic effect of asbestos obviously depended on the dose applied and on the period of incubation. The results of this study suggest that significant cytogenetic changes occurring after asbestos treatment might directly or indirectly be the part of the biological events responsible for eliciting asbestos-induced carcinogenesis.