Association of Tremolite Habit with Biological Potential: Preliminary Report

Tremolite is an amphibole mineral which occurs naturally in three distinct mor­ phological forms or mineral habits. It may occur as asbestos, splintery fibres or in mas­ sive crystalline deposits. Mineral habit is determined at the time of its crystallization and conversion to a different habit would require re-crystallization. The massive crystalline deposits, on crushing may yield elongated fibrous-looking particles referred to as acicular cleavage fragments (Langer at., 1979). Tremolite's ability to form these three habits imparts it with a range of physico-chemical properties. The health effects from the occupational exposure to tremolite has been evaluated epidemiologically among vermiculite and talc workers (Reger Morgan, 1990). Case reports have associated both pleural calcification and mesothelioma with environmental exposure to tremolite in Turkey, Cyprus and Greece. Experimental studies using various routes of administration in different animal species and in assays have been used to