FIBERS FIBRILS AND NANOTUBES

The human body produces a wide range of minerals, some essential (bioapatite) some pathologic. Another mineral group asbestos minerals , inadvertently inhaled, may lead to inflammation, pain, disabilities and death.

Hundreds of studies on occupational and environmental exposures have recently led to a ban on mining asbestos in the US and to regulations mandating removal from homes and workplaces with ‘permanent’ secure storage of this ‘hazard’. We substitute other materials with similar useful properties (fiberglass) , and require accurate mineral identification of the 5 amphiboles: actinolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, crocidolite, (the fibrous form of riebeckite) , grunerite asbestos, tremolite asbestos and the serpentine asbestos, chrysotile, that constitute the regulated asbestos group.

The unique morphology, fibrillar aggregates, extra fine in size, present difficulties in precise identification of these hydrated silicate species necessitating combinations of microscopy and diffraction techniques. Note all species contain Mg and Fe and additional cations. Only crocidolite with prominent Na and tremolite and actinolite with Ca allow clear distinctions among the amphiboles . Problems also occur with the close associations/occurrences of other Mg-containing silicate species, talc for instance, which may also occur as fibers. The ID is difficult for those not fully acquainted with these minerals.

Synthetic fibers, specifically nanotubes, present a new arena for mineralogical and biomedical crossover. C or TiO₂ nanotubes are biologically useful inorganic/mineral composites now used to insert chemicals/pharmaceuticals at specific locations in the body. They offers advantages in evaluating reactions, effectiveness and amount, of certain drugs .

This abstract focuses on fibrous materials as part of biomedical health issues. On one hand the body can handle mineral nanotubes but not asbestiform minerals. Mineralogists and medical scientists and professionals collaboratively considering the morphological parallelisms and physical-chemical aspects of health questions could bring some novel basic science views and applications to such discussions.