Evaluation of the mineral fibers content of pulmonary tissue in people engaged in extraction and concentration of chrysotile asbestos and in those living near enterprises

: The authors determined concentration of asbestos fibers in lung tissue samples obtained in hospital of Asbestos town in Sverdlovsk region. The samples were taken from 47 individuals who died with various causes. of Workers engaged into extraction and beneficiation of chrysotile asbestos at Bazhenovsky field, into production of chrysotile asbestos goods and those who reside in close proximity to the enterprises demonstrated no differences in general content of fibrous particles and of chrysotile asbestos fibers in lung tissue, if compared to workers of the same enterprises and industrial regions dwellers of Canada (being second, after Russia, for total chrysotile asbestos production). The study proved concentrations of amphibole asbestos fibers to be one order lower than those in Canada.