David N. Weissman, M.D.’s Testimony: NIOSH Research on Asbestos Fibers

Read more from the testimony of Dr. Weissman, who spoke before the Senate’s Committee on the Environment and Public Works about the dangers of asbestos. In this section, he discusses the research conducted by NIOSH regarding asbestos fibers.

NIOSH is doing research to clarify the relationships between fiber dimensions (length and diameter) and the risk for developing lung cancer or asbestosis through follow-up studies of a cohort of chrysotile-exposed South Carolina textile workers. NIOSH originally reported on this cohort in the 1980s.

Exposures were originally evaluated by PCM. Since then, archived samples collected by NIOSH have been re-analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to better evaluate fiber dimensions, including fibers too small to be seen by PCM.

Also, mortality information about the cohort has been updated. Based on these data, fiber size-specific exposure estimates have been developed for the cohort. Analyses are underway to determine the influence of fiber length and width on lung disease risk.

These findings will help to inform approaches to quantitative risk assessment, particularly the potential utility of risk assessment based on fiber size.

Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2007/06/t20070612c.html

Courtesy of EPA

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