Abstract

Biga Peninsula has many varied and interesting medical geologic problems, as well as being rich in natural geological resources. Mainly these problems are natural radioactivity, mineral dust, metal/mineral contamination in drinking water, acid rock/mine drainage, and problems related to geothermal and drinking water. With this view exposure to asbestos was surveyed and the results of this survey were evaluated by earth scientists and medical doctors. This inter-disciplinary study was done in Dumanlı village (Çanakkale-Turkey) in the Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey. Studies have been carried out in earth sciences and the health sciences simultaneously. The asbestiform minerals around Dumanlı village are contained in sheared serpentinites which occur as tectonic slices and lenses within Çamlıca metamorphics. These tectonic slices and lenses are bounded by strike-slip faults and probably obtained their final tectonic positions in a transpressional regime during late Cretaceous- early Eocene time. Asbestiform minerals occur within stretching-shear zones in the strike- slip system. Petrographic and mineralogic indications show that the asbestiform minerals are clinochrysotile, lizardite, antigorite and actinolite. In parallel with earth science studies; verbal autopsy, pulmonary function tests and radiological examination studies were car- ried out. A significant correlation between asbestos exposure and radiographic pathology was identified in the region and it was understood that the duration of exposure in these ca- ses varies from 23-80 years.

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