Fly ash lung: a new pneumoconiosis

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5101636

Golden, E B; Warnock, M L; Hulett, Jr, L D; Churg, A M

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), Journal Name: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States) Vol. 125:1; ISSN ARRDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOL WASTES
ASBESTOS
ASHES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
DISEASES
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FIBROSIS
FLY ASH
LUNGS
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PERSONNEL
PNEUMOCONIOSES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SCATTERING
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
WASTES