Assessment of the possibility of air pollution by asbestos fibres during the operation of road surfaces containing stabilizing asbestos-containing additives
- Authors: Tskhomariia I.M.1,2, Kovalevskiy E.V.1,2
-
Affiliations:
- Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
- Issue: Vol 101, No 2 (2022)
- Pages: 146-152
- Section: ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE
- Published: 16.03.2022
- URL: https://rjsocmed.com/0016-9900/article/view/639405
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.47470/0016-9900-2022-101-2-146-152
- ID: 639405
Cite item
Full Text
Abstract
Introduction. Using materials containing mineral fibres in road construction requires consideration of the risk of air pollution by fibrous particles.
The purpose of the study was to assess the possibility of air pollution by asbestos fibres during the operation of road surfaces containing chrysotile asbestos.
Materials and Methods. Nine air samples, three dust samples and one asphalt pavement sample were taken on the federal highway.
Results. The concentration of asbestos fibres in the air was below the detection limit of ≤ 0.0001 f/ml. When all nine air samples were examined, no asbestos fibres were found. Two agglomerates and one bundle of chrysotile asbestos fibres were found in all three dust samples, which were most likely a part of the road surface. Most fibres were bound with other particles in a single agglomerate in the asphalt sample. The content of asbestos fibres in all three dust samples was less than 0.1%, and the size of the conglomerates did not fit the definition of “respirable fibres”.
Limitations. 1) the assessment of air pollution by asbestos fibres was carried out only at one stage (operation) of the pavement life cycle (from production to disposal); 2) a complete assessment of air pollution on highways by all types of particulate particles was not carried out (only asbestos fibres and other fibrous particles were taken into account).
Conclusion. At the time of the study, no atmospheric air pollution by free chrysotile asbestos fibres was detected near the highway; the average concentration for the entire time of sampling, as well as the concentrations in each of the samples, was below the detection limit of the method and amounted to ≤0.0001 f/ml, thereby not exceeding the regulatory indicators provided for both in Russia (Sanitary rules and standards 1.2.3685-21 from 28.01.21) and in Germany (TRGS 519). This study is a single-stage screening study. More research is needed to assess the possibility of air pollution by asbestos fibres throughout the entire life cycle of road surfaces constructed using asbestos-containing stabilizing additives (from production to disposal).
Contribution:
Tskhomariia I.M. — the concept and design of the study, collection of literature data, the collection and processing of the material, statistical analysis, writing a text, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Kovalevskiy E.V. — the concept and design of the study, the collection and processing of the material, editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article
Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.
Received: June 03, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022
Keywords
About the authors
Irakly M. Tskhomariia
Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
Author for correspondence.
Email: iraklytchomariya@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9615-3284
MD, junior researcher at the physical factors laboratory of Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health, Moscow, 105275,
Russian Federation.
e-mail: iraklytchomariya@mail.ru
Russian FederationEvgeny V. Kovalevskiy
Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5166-6871
Russian Federation
References
- WHO. World Health Assembly, 68. Health and the environment: addressing the health impact of air pollution; 2015. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/253237
- The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Non-exhaust Particulate Emissions from Road Transport: An Ignored Environmental Policy Challenge; 2020. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1787/4a4dc6ca-en
- Timmers V.R.J.H., Achten P.A.J. Non-exhaust PM emissions from electric vehicles. Atmos. Environ. 2016; 134: 10–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.03.017
- Rakhmanin Yu.A., Levanchuk A.V. Hygienic assessment of atmospheric air in the areas with different degrees of the development of the road-traffic complex. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2016; 95(12): 1117–21. https://doi.org/10.18821/0016-9900-2016-95-12-1117-1121 (in Russian)
- Alikbaeva L.A., Kolodiy S.P., Bek A.V. Hygienic evaluation of the class hazard of discharges from road-vehicles complex. Gigiena i Sanitaria (Hygiene and Sanitation, Russian journal). 2017; 96(8): 711–6. https://doi.org/10.18821/0016-9900-2017-96-8-711-716 (in Russian)
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Naturally Occurring Asbestos: Approaches for Reducing Exposure; 2008. Available at: https://archive.epa.gov/region9/toxic/web/pdf/noa_factsheet.pdf
- Putman B.J. Effects of fiber finish on the performance of asphalt binders and mastics. Adv. Civ. Eng. 2011; 2011: 172634. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/172634
- Virta R.L. Worldwide Asbestos Supply and Consumption Trends from 1900 through 2003. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1298; 2006: 1–80. Available at: https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2006/1298/c1298.pdf
- Chyc-Cies J., Wineberger B.G. To recycle or not to recycle Asbestos-containing RAP: that is the question. In: 2009 Annual Conference of the Transportation Association of Canada. Vancouver; 2009: 1–18.
- National Post. Kuitenbrouwer P. City says warning over asbestos-laced asphalt an ‘abundance of caution’; 2012. Available at: https://nationalpost.com/posted-toronto/city-says-warning-over-asbestos-laced-asphalt-an-abundance-of-caution
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Risk Evaluation for Asbestos. Part I: Chrysotile Asbestos; 2020. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/documents/1_risk_evaluation_for_asbestos_part_1_chrysotile_asbestos.pdf
- Levanchuk A.V. Hygienic characteristic of air environment in the affected zone of road and automobile complex. Meditsina i obrazovanie v Sibiri. 2015; (1): 5. (in Russian)
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Air Quality Guidelines for Europe. 2nd edition. WHO Regional Publications, European Series; 2000. Available at: https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/74732/E71922.pdf
- Xu Q., Chen H., Prozzia J.A. Performance of fiber reinforced asphalt concrete under environmental temperature and water effects. Constr. Build Mater. 2010; 24(10): 2003–10.
- Willis J.R., Howard I.L. Asphalt recycling: history of recycled materials and lessons learned about recycling plastic. TR News. 2020; 330: 21–4.
Supplementary files
