Asbestos-like fibres of biogenic silica in sugar cane | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)

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Citation
Tags

HERO ID

3098868

Reference Type

Journal Article

Subtype

Letter

Title

Asbestos-like fibres of biogenic silica in sugar cane

Author(s)

Newman, RH

Year

1983

Is Peer Reviewed?

Journal

The Lancet
ISSN: 0140-6736
EISSN: 1474-547X

Publisher

LANCET LTD

Location

LONDON

Report Number

CIS/84/00336

Volume

Issue

8354

Page Numbers

857

Language

English

PMID

6137684

DOI

10.1016/S0140-6736(83)90780-8

Web of Science Id

WOS:A1983RK27800055

URL

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673683907808
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Abstract

Before sugar cane is harvested, the field may be set on fire, creating large quantities of airborne plant residue. Electron images of the residues showed structures from the mature leaf composed almost entirely of silicon, symmetrically distributed along the fibres. 5g of mature leaf digest yielded 150 hypoderm fibres, 0.85|m in diameter and 10-300|m long. The percentage weight of biogenic silica in mature dried leaf was 5-7%. There may be implications for carcinogenesis among sugar cane workers.

Keywords

Asbestos; 1332-21-4; Silicon Dioxide; 7631-86-9; Abridged Index Medicus; Index Medicus; Particle Size; Neoplasms -- etiology; Plants, Edible -- ultrastructure; Silicon Dioxide -- adverse effects