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

Our plain-English summary of Naturally occurring asbestos and its possible environmental and health implications in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), by A. Bloise, P. Ballirano, I. Fuoco, et al (Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2026).

The study

• Authors: A. Bloise, P. Ballirano, I. Fuoco, M.C. Di Carlo, C. Apollaro, G. Vespasiano, M. Paccapelo, L. Arrizza, M. Darby Dyar, E. Sklute, A. Altieri, A. Campopiano, A. Cannizzaro, M.R. Bruno, G. Malvasi, A. Pacella
• Journal: Environmental Geochemistry and Health
• Published: 2026;48(9)
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

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.

© 2026. The Author(s).

In plain English

This laboratory study examined eleven samples of naturally occurring tremolite asbestos. They were collected from disturbed serpentinite rock outcrops in the Pollino area of the Basilicata region, southern Italy, at places such as a house construction excavation, a dirt road, landslides and an inactive quarry. No people or animals were studied. The authors used electron microscopy, chemical microanalysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. Some samples also contained chlorite, talc or chrysotile. Measuring 200 fibres per sample, the authors found an overall mean fibre width of 0.32 µm. About 50% of fibres were thinner than 0.25 µm, and 98% were 1 µm wide or less. Iron was present within the tremolite structure in all samples. All thermal breakdown temperatures were below 1020 °C, which the authors took as confirming fibrous form. The mesothelioma figures mentioned in the article come from a national registry and earlier studies, not from this work. The authors concluded that this tremolite represents a potential environmental health concern and called for further multidisciplinary studies.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Mineralogical laboratory characterization of rock and soil samples (no human or animal participants)
• Who was studied: Eleven tremolite asbestos samples from disturbed serpentinite outcrops in the municipalities of Castelluccio Superiore, Castelluccio Inferiore, Viggianello, Chiaromonte and Lauria (Pollino area, Basilicata, southern Italy). Sites included a house construction excavation, a road cutting, a dirt road, landslides, excavation fronts and an inactive quarry.
• Exposure: Naturally occurring fibrous tremolite (asbestos tremolite). Some samples also contained the accessory minerals chlorite, talc and chrysotile.
• Main results:
  • Across the 11 samples (200 fibres measured per sample), tremolite fibres had an overall mean width of 0.32 µm.
  • About 50% of the measured fibres had a diameter of less than 0.25 µm.
  • 98% of the analysed fibres had a diameter of 1 µm or less, which the authors took as confirming their asbestiform nature.
  • The fibrous tremolite samples were chemically homogeneous, with FeO (iron oxide) content from about 1.7 to 4.1 weight percent.
  • Ferric iron (Fe3+) made up 14 to 24% of total iron in the samples, except the Serrapollo sample, which had about 40%.
  • Iron was present within the tremolite crystal structure in all samples.
  • All thermal decomposition temperatures were below the 1020 °C threshold used to identify fibrous tremolite.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the natural occurrence of asbestos tremolite in the Basilicata region represents a potential environmental health concern. They said further multidisciplinary studies are needed to assess exposure pathways and health implications.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The Mössbauer spectra were noisy because of the samples' low iron content, so the measurement errors are likely somewhat higher than usual.
  • In the X-ray diffraction analysis, only tremolite could be included in the fitting, because no adequate structural models exist for the other minerals present. This produced data sets of differing accuracy.
  • For the epidemiological context, the authors noted that the national mesothelioma registry (ReNaM) does not define the Pollino area as a distinct epidemiological unit.
  • The authors noted that occupational and other human-made asbestos sources cannot be entirely excluded as explanations for the mesothelioma excess in the area.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma, Tremolite.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: naturally occurring asbestos (NOA), Mesothelioma, New Caledonia, Tremolite, TEM/EDS, Carcinogenic, Octahedral Site, Asbestos Exposure.

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