Asbestos owes its popularity to its unique features, which include: non-flammability, resistance to chemical and biological agents, high thermal and mechanical resistance, thermal and electrical insulation properties, easy connection with other materials, good sorption and sound-absorbing properties and the possibility of fibre spinning. Asbestos is still used worldwide. Exposure to asbestos dust can cause many respiratory diseases, including: lung cancer, pleural mesotheliomas and peritoneum, asbestosis; it can significantly increase the risk of developing cancers of the larynx, stomach, colon and ovaries. The appearance of pathologies resulting from exposure to asbestos dust depends on the type of exposure. It is estimated that the environmental, occupational, and para-occupational effects of asbestos kill over 107,000 people each year. Aim of the study: Demonstration of negative health effects of environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos and analysis of literature trends in the field of exposure and health protection of asbestos. Test methods: In this study, bibliometrics was used as a tool to assess the area of research related to environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos fibres. To analyse bibliographic data of the 2020-2021, 21 potentially relevant articles addressing the topic at hand were selected by evaluating the full text of each article. Results: In the area of the analysed scientific works, there is a constant interest in the subject of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma and asbestos-dependent lung cancer, especially in exposure to asbestos fibres in the environment, which seems to dominate the area of interest of scientists. Conclusions: Diseases caused by occupational exposure to asbestos occur mainly after a long latency period. It is justified and advisable, considering the health effects from the public health perspective, to take actions in the field of environmental and health education in order to minimize them.

27.1.2022