| Agent Name |
Wollastonite |
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| CAS Number |
13983-17-0 |
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| Formula |
Ca.H2-O3-Si |
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| Major Category |
Mineral Dusts |
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| Synonyms |
Calcium metasilicate; [CAMEO] Aedelforsite; Bistal; Cab-O-lite; Casiflux; Dab-O-lite P 4; Fibernite HG; Fuwalip; Gillebachite; Hycon A 60; Kemolit-N; Nyad G Wollastocoat 1001; Nycor 200;Nycor 300; Okenite; Rivaite; Schalstein; Tabular spar; Tremin (mineral); Vansil W 10; Vilnite; [ChemIDplus] |
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| Category |
Other Mineral Dusts |
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| Description |
White to cream-colored solid; [CAMEO] A glass-like solid with a color that varies from white to brown, red, gray, and yellow; [Hawley] |
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| Sources/Uses |
Used in ceramics, welding rod coatings, soil conditioners, silica gels, paper coatings, and filllers for paint, rubber, plastics, cements, and wallboard; [Hawley] Crystalline silica not bound to other minerals is "free" silica. Silicates are minerals in which silicon and oxygen are combined with other elements. [Rom, p. 364] |
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| Comments |
Wollastonite fibers are needlelike with median dimensions of 0.22 microns by 2.5 microns. With a melting point of 1540 degrees C, Wollastonite is used to replace asbestos as a filler in paints, plastics, ceramics, and friction materials. A 10-year study of Finnish quarry workers published in 1983 found some x-ray changes in about one fourth of the workers, but no evidence of pulmonary fibrosis. A 1976 to 1982 U.S. study of wollastonite miners and millers showed an excess loss of pulmonary function related to cumulative exposure. X-ray changes (small rounded opacities) were found in only 3% of these workers. [Rom, p. 538-9] |
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| Exposure Assessment |
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| Explanatory Notes |
Insoluble in water; VP is approximately 0; [CAMEO] |
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| Adverse Effects |
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| Chronic Bronchitis |
Yes |
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| IARC Carcinogen |
Not Classifiable |
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| Links to Other NLM Databases |
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| Health Studies |
Human Health Effects from Hazardous Substances Data Bank: WOLLASTONITE
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