[Nhcoll-l] Vermiculite as respiratory hazard

Fri Feb 9 16:41:51 EST 2018

Very funny coincidence - James Maclain (NHM London) just brought this up 
in an internal conversation. Actually there is no reason to use it, and 
simple paper towels surely do even better as absorbent material for IATA 
packaging, compared to vermiculite. For A 180 packing, the requirement 
is that the absorbent material must be sufficient to hold the entire 
fluid per packaging in case of leakage. There are no further 
specifications, and even toilet paper would do a perfect job, but 
admittedly tends to be rather unstable compared to normal paper towels 
when wet.

When I receive such shipments, I carefully open the outer packaging and 
remove the vermiculite into a large zip-lock back and immediately rinse 
the inner packing under water to avoid the dust; vermiculite is also 
VERY electrostatic, and you have it just everywhere.

Thanks for pushing this, Rob!

Have a nice weekend
Dirk

Am 09.02.2018 um 20:19 schrieb Rob Robins:
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> I have health and safety concerns regarding the use of vermiculite as 
> an “outer packet” absorbency material in the shipping of  alcohol 
> preserved specimens. We have never used vermiculite in the Florida 
> Museum Fish Collection, but I receive many specimen shipments 
> containing it and thus must handle it. And as anyone who has touched 
> the stuff can attest, no matter how carefully handled, tiny particles 
> of vermiculite end up suspended in the air one is breathing.
>
> A number of scientific papers lead me to conclude my health and safety 
> concerns are not unreasonable. Here’s some of what I’ve found:
>
> ·No matter where it was mined from, vermiculite is likely to contain 
> fibrous minerals.
>
> ·That few of these types of fibrous minerals have been formally 
> classified as asbestos and regulated as such would appear to be more a 
> function of what fibers were in use commercially at the time the 
> regulations were created. (Baumann, F., J. P. Ambrosi, and M. Carbone. 
> 2013. Asbestos is not just asbestos: an unrecognized health hazard. 
> The Lancet Vol 14 June 2013).
>
> ·To be certain, vermiculite has at times been found to contain 
> asbestiform amphiboles (groups of needlelike silicates clumped 
> together) such as winchite, richterite, and tremolite, the latter of 
> which is regulated (Sullivan, P. 2007. Vermiculite, respiratory 
> disease, and asbestos exposure in Libby, Montana: Update of a cohort 
> mortality study. Environmental Health Perspectives Apr; 115 (4): 579-585).
>
> My question to the list: _Why is anyone using vermiculite as an 
> absorbent when inert and safe alternatives such as polypropylene 
> chemical spill absorbent pads are widely and cheaply available?_ 
> Failing any good answer to this question, my follow up would be, can 
> we all please stop?
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
> Rob Robins
>
> P.S. The Baumann paper concludes thusly, and I agree:
>
> “The restricted regulatory definition of asbestos to six fibres used 
> commercially contributes to miscommunication and uncertainty regarding 
> the toxic effects of some fibrous minerals. We propose that all 
> fibrous minerals be handled as potentially pathogenic until they are 
> proven safe. Moreover, to protect human health, a wider regulatory 
> definition of asbestos should include all potentially carcinogenic 
> mineral fibres, without distinction of type and commercial use.”
>
> Robert H. Robins
>
> Collection Manager
>
> Division of Ichthyology
>
> FLMNH Fishes logo email small
>
> Florida Museum of Natural History
>
> 1659 Museum Road
>
> Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
>
> Office: (352) 273-1957
>
> Fax: (352) 846-0287
>
> rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu <mailto:rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu>
>
> www.flmnh.ufl.edu 
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