Laboratory workers who routinely use asbestos-containing wire-gauze pads in their work are unlikely to contract malignant mesothelioma as a result of the exposure.
That is according to a series of independently conducted asbestos exposure evaluations of standard practices in laboratory settings.
The testing took place inside simulated laboratories with wire gauze pads that are routinely used to support glass containers above a Bunsen burner during heated experiments.
Assessing Risk for Malignant Mesothelioma in the Lab
Researchers with the Center for Environmental and Occupational Risk Analysis and Management at the University of South Florida conducted the new mesothelioma research, which was recently published in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.
According to their report, wire gauze pads were evaluated with two kinds of high-powered microscopes to determine their asbestos content. Then, the pads were heated and manipulated, just the way they might be in an actual laboratory setting.
Afterward, researchers analyzed the amount of microscopic asbestos fibers that had been released into the air in the lab. Asbestos fibers are known to be the primary cause of malignant mesothelioma.
The bad news is that fibers of both chrysotile and tremolite asbestos were found in the air where the pads had been used. The good news was that none of the air samples contained asbestos concentrations above the level currently permitted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“These findings indicate that the level of asbestos exposure when working with wire gauze pads in the laboratory setting is much lower than levels associated with asbestosis or asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma,” writes principal investigator Ediberto Garcia.
Is There Still a Mesothelioma Threat?
But are laboratory workers completely out of the woods when it comes to malignant mesothelioma?
Unfortunately, multiple studies have confirmed that, if there is any chance of asbestos fibers entering the lungs, there is a risk of pleural mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition.
This is because it is very difficult for the body to rid itself of these sharp fibers after they have embedded themselves in the tissue. The longer these fibers stay in the body, the greater the likelihood that the person will eventually be facing a mesothelioma diagnosis.
High Risk Occupations for Mesothelioma
While it looks like the risk for mesothelioma is relatively low for people who have worked in a laboratory setting, many other types of workers are not as fortunate.
Many people diagnosed with mesothelioma have worked in a construction trade, either building with or removing asbestos-containing building products. High risk workers may include electricians, plumbers, and roofers. Naval veterans who worked on asbestos-containing ships and people who mined or processed asbestos for various industrial uses also face an elevated lifetime risk for malignant mesothelioma.
Recently, more non-occupational asbestos cases leading to mesothelioma have also emerged, including people who have been exposed to asbestos in their home insulation and in personal care products like talcum powder.
Source:
Garcia, E, et al, “Evaluation of airborne asbestos exposure from routine handling of asbestos-containing wire gauze pads in the research laboratory”, April 30 2018, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology
The post Lab Work Poses Low Mesothelioma Risk, Study Finds appeared first on Surviving Mesothelioma.
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