Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42348030›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental geochemistry and health2026

Naturally occurring asbestos and its possible environmental and health implications in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy).

Andrea Bloise, Paolo Ballirano, Ilaria Fuoco, Maria Cristina Di Carlo, Carmine Apollaro, Giovanni Vespasiano, Marco Paccapelo, Lorenzo Arrizza, Melinda Darby Dyar, Elizabeth Sklute and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental geochemistry and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Andrea BloiseDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy.
Paolo BalliranoDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Ilaria FuocoDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy.
Maria Cristina Di CarloDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Carmine ApollaroDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy.
Giovanni VespasianoDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy.
Marco PaccapeloDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Lorenzo ArrizzaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Melinda Darby DyarPlanetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Elizabeth SklutePlanetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Alessandra AltieriDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Rome, Italy.
Antonella CampopianoDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Rome, Italy.
Annapaola CannizzaroDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Rome, Italy.
Maria Rosaria BrunoDepartment of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, National Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Rome, Italy.
Giacomo MalvasiRadioactivity and Asbestos Office ARPA Basilicata, Potenza, Italy.
Alessandro PacellaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy. alessandro.pacella@uniroma1.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Asbestos that occurs in the environment and has not been extracted for commercial purposes is commonly referred to as Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA). Research has shown a higher-than-expected incidence of mesothelioma in populations residing near NOA sites across California, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Corsica, and New Caledonia. In Italy, in the area around Pollino Massif (Basilicata region), a total of 124 mesothelioma cases were documented among population living in the villages of Castelluccio Superiore and Inferiore, Lauria, Latronico, Episcopia, San Severino Lucano, and Francavilla in Sinni. In this work for the first time, we report the morphological and chemical structural characterization of asbestos tremolite samples from the NOA outcrops in the Pollino area (Basilicata region). The detailed sample characterization has been attained by using a multi-analytical approach (EMP, SEM-EDS, TEM-EDS, Mössabuer, X-ray powder diffraction, and thermal analysis). Morphological investigation highlighted that a significant fraction of each sample (ca. 50%) consists of long fibres (> 5 µm) having width below 0.25 µm, considered the most carcinogenic fibres. Additionally, all asbestos samples showed the presence of Fe at the octahedral sites of the tremolite structure. This is relevant from the toxicological point of view because the presence of Fe in the fibre structure is a critical factor in asbestos pathogenicity. Obtained results provide a solid foundation for better understanding the potential health risks associated with asbestos tremolite in the Pollino Massif area. They also highlight the importance of constant monitoring and risk assessment to protect local communities from asbestos exposure.

Indexed as

AsbestosAsbestos, AmphiboleMesotheliomaEnvironmental MonitoringHumansItalySpectrometry, X-Ray EmissionAsbestosAsbestos, AmphiboletremoliteAsbestosBasilicata regionFibrous tremoliteNaturally occurring asbestos

Identifiers

PMID42348030
PMCPMC13303591

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.