Evaluation of cellular toxicity of TAFMAG, a natural substitute for asbestos from China.

Abstract

Asbestos is a very important material for industrial use. However, the need for a substitute for asbestos fiber is currently on the rise due to its high disease causing potential. This study evaluated the potential bio-hazardous effects of TAFMAG, a natural fibrous silicate produced in China, in comparison with chrysotile, a typical toxic asbestos. The physicochemical properties of TAFMAG were very similar to those of chrysotile when it was examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Both of TAFMAG and chrysotile showed high content of magnetite and Fenton activity when compared with wollastonite, a non-asbestos fiber with a known low toxicity. When their cellular toxicity was assessed, TAFMAG showed no or less comparable to that of chrysotile in the hemolysis and lipid peroxidation of erythrocytes, and also on a MTT assay in RLE-6TN, a rat alveolar epithelial cell line. Pre-treatment of fibers with desferrioxamine, an iron chelator, showed that iron content of TAFMAG and chrysotile might be important in their cellular toxicity. These results suggest that TAFMAG is potentially toxic when inhaled into the lung and appropriate laws and regulations should be established for its use.

• Authors: Hyung Jung Kim, Hae Yun Nam, Yamato Hiroshi, Yasushi Shinohara, Norihiko Kohyama, Hyoung Kyu Yun, Young Lim, Jung Sub Song
• Journal: Toxicology letters (Toxicol Lett) Vol. 155 Issue 1 Pg. 65-71 (Jan 15 2005) ISSN: 0378-4274 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 15585361 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Asbestos, Serpentine
• Fenton's reagent
• Iron Chelating Agents
• Mineral Fibers
• Silicates
• TAFMAG
• Tetrazolium Salts
• Thiazoles
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Iron
• thiazolyl blue

Topics

• Animals
• Asbestos, Serpentine (toxicity)
• Cell Line
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Chemical Phenomena
• Chemistry, Physical
• Epithelial Cells (drug effects)
• Erythrocyte Membrane (drug effects)
• Erythrocytes (drug effects)
• Hemolysis (drug effects)
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• In Vitro Techniques
• Iron
• Iron Chelating Agents (pharmacology)
• Lipid Peroxidation (drug effects)
• Mineral Fibers (toxicity)
• Particle Size
• Pulmonary Alveoli (cytology, drug effects)
• Rats
• Silicates (toxicity)
• Tetrazolium Salts
• Thiazoles