Mineralogically, morphologically and molecularly distinct forms of mineral particles and fibers, including crystalline silica and asbestoses, differ considerably in their propensity to cause harm and increase human health risks. Particles and fibers now can be measured at increasingly small concentrations and characterized - including in human tissues - many different ways, leading to clues about mechanisms for harm and increasing risks of human disease processes including inflammation, fibrosis (e.g., silicosis), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancers, and immunological responses. As science and technology evolve, human health risks associated with mineral particles and fibers are elucidated; however, it is difficult to follow their development and especially how their integration improves our understanding of their impact on and assessment of human health risks. Such knowledge is important not only for understanding human disease processes, but as foundations for identifying effective workplace and environmental interventions and regulations that lead to human disease prevention.
Based on state-of-the-art scientific presentations by internationally recognized scientists and thought leaders at the Monticello III Conference (Charlottesville, VA, October 21-24, 2024), this Research Topic provides a compendium of scientific reports addressing key topics and developments that can inform science-based regulations for protecting occupational and environmental health, supporting scientific decision-making, and identify important research and knowledge gaps. Designed to bring together top experts from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, organizations and disciplines, Monticello III and this Research Topic provide up-to-date individual research study findings from several professional areas and perspectives including mineralogical, morphological and chemical assessments; current methods for measuring and identifying particles and fibers in different media; particle and fiber exposure, distribution, deposition, elimination and the physiological/pathological responses they elicit; medical diagnosis of diseases and conditions caused by particle and fiber exposures; epidemiological approaches to quantifying human health risks; human health risk assessment and risk evaluation; and science-based regulatory, policy and other decision-making applications. In addition, the collection will provide integrative overviews and perspectives that identify promising research directions, persistent challenges, and future research and disease prevention opportunities.
The Research Topic will include papers that specifically address one or more of the following topical areas or themes: (1) advances in characterizing particles and fibers; (2) latest approaches for particle and fiber measurement and laboratory analytical methods; (3) tissue analytics; (4) toxicological properties and biological responses; epidemiology, exposure thresholds and risk assessment; and (5) the state-of-the-science on respirable crystalline silica and human health effects. Closely related and relevant papers that originate outside the group of Monticello III Conference presenters also will be considered for inclusion. Each theme will be accompanied by a commentary summarizing key points and findings of the individual submitted papers, as well as the main messages based on their integration, and identify key research gaps and highlight applications for regulatory and health risk management and disease prevention.
Topic editors are members of the NSSGA's Science Advisory Committee.
Keywords: Mineral particles, mineral fibers, crystalline silica, asbestos, cleavage fragments, particle morphology, detection, microscopy, surface reactivity, analytical methods, tissue analytics, inflammation, carcinogenicity, silicosis, exposure thresholds
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
