Short-term effects of intratracheal installations of yttrium barium copper oxide
Inhalation exposures to the new high-temperature ({Tc}) superconductor (SC) materials can occur during manufacturing and fabrication processes. In this exploratory study, we examined the pulmonary response to the deposition of an yttrium barium copper oxide SC powder. Groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally instilled with either 10 mg or 20 mg of SC in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or with PBS only. The animals were sacrificed 60 days later for histopathologic assessments of their lungs. Lung lesions in the 10-mg SC group were found mainly in alveolar ducts and proximal alveoli. The lesions consisted of variably sized foci of interstitial thickening involving accumulations of macrophages. These interstitial aggregates were often times centered around one or more extracellular crystals, which, presumably, were retained SC product. Trichome stains also demonstrated the presence of fibrosis in the walls of alveoli surrounding the granulomas. Similar interstitial-macrophage accumulations and fibrosis were observed in rats instilled with 20 mg of SC. However, alveolus like structures lined by ciliated cuboidal epithelium near interstitial granulomas were additionally found in the lungs of some of the animals in this latter group. These results suggest SC material of the yttrium barium copper oxide type may represent a potential exposure hazard to the lung.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOD
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6381863
- Report Number(s):
- LA-11930-MS; ON: DE91002434
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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