Biological durability and oxidative potential of a stonewool mineral fibre compared to crocidolite asbestos fibres

Experiments are described concerning the differences in redox properties and biodurability of natural asbestos fibres and an experimental stonewool fibre incubated in Gamble solution and reconstructed surfactant fluid. Crocidolite exhibits a significantly higher oxidative potential compared to the tested stonewool fibres. The oxidative acitivity of both types of fibres is not constant during incubation over several weeks, but rather shows a sinoidal curve including reactivities much higher than those at the beginning of the incubation. A continuous loss of mass is concluded not to be definitively connected with a continuous loss of toxicity.