Fly ash lung: a new pneumoconiosis
A laborer who worked in a steel mill and in a shipyard developed a nonspecific pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. Postmortem samples of his lung were digested, and the inorganic material present was extracted and examined using transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis. Uncoated asbestos fibers were present (1.4 X 10(5)/g wet lung), but the surprising finding was the presence of a large number of fly ash particles (6 X 10(6)/g wet lung). Fly ash, the particulate material produced during coal combustion, has not previously been reported to be present in human lung tissue. Although the contribution of the asbestos to this man's lung disease is uncertain, we believe, based on previous studies implicating aluminum silicates in pneumoconiosis, that the fly ash, an aluminum silicate, may be a contributing factor.
- Research Organization:
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
- OSTI ID:
- 5101636
- Journal Information:
- Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Vol. 125:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FLY ASH
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
LUNGS
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ASBESTOS
FIBROSIS
PERSONNEL
PNEUMOCONIOSES
AEROSOL WASTES
ASHES
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
DISEASES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SCATTERING
WASTES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
550300 - Cytology