Mt. Sinai Doctors to Investigate Libby Asbestos Cleanup

Epidemiologists at New York-based Mount Sinai School of Medicine, along with a squad of researchers from three other health institutions, are currently setting up separate probes into the origins, courses and processes behind the spread of lung disease in Libby, Montana, and to decide on suggested cleanup methods.

For almost one hundred years, numerous mineworkers and townspeople have been exposed to vermiculite ore that contained heavy concentrations of asbestos. Their lengthy exposure periods to the toxic substance have led to decidedly steeper rates in the incidence of lung cancer and disorders of the immune system. These high incidence rates caused the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to add Libby to its National Priorities List for environmental cleanup efforts in 2002.

Dr. Stephen Levin is the lead investigator for this massive undertaking. He is also an associate professor of Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a nationally known expert in occupational medicine. His specialty deals with lung disorders caused by asbestos, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. He has also served as the principal investigator of the monitoring and treatment programs responsible for dealing with patients exposed to asbestos from the debris of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001, which has been organized by Mount Sinai since 2002.

According to a recent interview, Dr. Levin's assessment of the situation in Libby is that the spread of lung disease as a direct result of asbestos exposure is "far more aggressive" and progresses at a much faster rate than he has seen in similar situations. He also stated that the high rates of incidence of diseases like mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer that attacks the fluid lining of the lungs, in Libby makes this study vitally important for scientists who study the pathology of such health issues.

The first set of studies will concentrate on specific dangers of exposure to the type asbestos found at the Libby sites during the residents' childhood years, at a time when the lungs are still developing and growing. The results of this inquiry could influence the degree of asbestos remediation needed to protect youngsters, who are an especially delicate target demographic for the disease.

The next study will examine lung tissue damage that occurred with residents of the town whose asbestos exposure came as a result of their surroundings and compare that data with the types of damage seen in workers who had serious long-term exposure to types of asbestos found in their workplace. Research workers will attempt to find out why townspeople have elevated incidences of lung scarring. The scientists also will look into the chemical process behind asbestos-induced lung scar formation and plans of attack for precluding scar formation after the patient has already been exposed.

The third and final research effort will analyze the relations between the rise of immune system disorders, irregularities in antibody production, and CAT scan proof of lung disease that induces tissue scarring and how each of these circumstances relates to exposure to Libby asbestos. Diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders have also shown higher incidence rates among Libby residents.

The effects of the Libby contamination were not limited to mine workers and their families. Loggers and lumber mill workers were also exposed to asbestos by the use of fireproof dust during logging and sawmill operations. Many of the mining companies also provided mine wastes and tailings as landfill material and as sod for playgrounds and athletic fields. Dr. Levin's research team is in the process of assessing the level of the health crisis that the town now faces from the widespread use of the dangerous material.

Sources: WiredPRNews, Environmental Protection Online

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