Mineralogical and Morphological Characterization of Industrially Used Pyrophyllite from Pütürge (Malatya, Türkiye): Assessing Asbestiform Habit for Health Risk

In Pütürge region of Malatya, Türkiye, there are important deposits of pyrophyllite, a mineral widely utilized in industrial applications such as white cement production. In this study, pyrophyllite samples from the region are subjected to detailed mineralogical and morphological characterization. Bulk powder and clay fraction analyses conducted via X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the samples predominantly consist of pyrophyllite, quartz, muscovite, and kaolinite, with occasional illite. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) confirmed a high purity level of pyrophyllite, with rutile as the primary impurity in the studied samples.

Morphological analysis of pyrophyllite using SEM highlighted presence of dominant lamellar crystals with a minor occurrence of fibrous habit. Given the widespread industrial usage of pyrophyllite in Türkiye, this observation raised concerns about its asbestiform nature due to potential health risks, including respiratory diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, which result from the inhalation of fine, elongated fibers capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and causing long-term damage to lung tissue and the pleura. However, whether all fibrous minerals pose health risks remains a topic of ongoing debate in contemporary research. According to the criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asbestiform fibers are defined by their aspect ratios, fibril width, and specific morphological features. Pyrophyllite fibers observed in this study exhibit mean aspect ratios of 4:1 to 10:1 for fibers longer than 5 µm in contrary to the definition of EPA. In addition, widths ranging between 0.4 µm and 3.5 µm, and no occurrences of fiber bundles or spayed ends are observed, although some fibers demonstrated curvature. Based on these observations, it is concluded that the fibrous pyrophyllite in the analyzed samples does not exhibit asbestiform characteristics and therefore does not pose a health risk in industrial applications.