Lung dust and lung iron contents of coal workers in different coalfields in Great Britain

Bergman, I.; Casswell, C.

doi:10.1136/oem.29.2.160

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The implication of the work reported here is that exposure to coal dust will lead to inhalation of pyrite particles that will slowly dissolve over the time scale of years. Research into the iron content of coal miner's pneumoconiotic lung tissue supports these timescales in that the tissue contained abnormally high amounts of iron but no pyrite (Bergman and Casswell 1972). Since autopsies usually occur years after retirement all of the pyrite should be dissolved, leaving only iron.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The results of a recent experimental study suggest that the pyrite content of the coal, which can be as high as 5% by weight, is the underlying factor that causes the relationship between BAI and the prevalence of the disease (Cohn et al 2006b). Furthermore, a study conducted in Great Britain showed that tissue recovered from pneumoconiotic lungs of deceased coal miners has abnormally high amounts of iron-enriched material (Bergman and Casswell 1972), consistent with the notion that exposure to iron minerals associated with coal plays a role in the pathogenesis of CWP. Pyrite and pyritebearing coal have recently been shown to spontaneously generate ROS when placed in water (Cohn et al 2005(Cohn et al , 2006c.…”

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confidence: 89%

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Pyrite-driven reactive oxygen species formation in simulated lung fluid: implications for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis

Harrington

Hylton

Schoonen

2011

Environ Geochem Health

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The origin of coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) has been long debated. A recent epidemiological study shows a correlation between what is essentially the concentration of pyrite within coal and the prevalence of CWP in miners. Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical, both reactive oxygen species (ROS), form as byproducts of pyrite oxidative dissolution in air-saturated water. Motivated by the possible importance of ROS in the pathogenesis of CWP, we conducted an experimental study to evaluate if ROS form as byproducts in the oxidative dissolution of pyrite in simulated lung fluid (SLF) under biologically applicable conditions and to determine the persistence of pyrite in SLF. While the rate of pyrite oxidative dissolution in SLF is suppressed by 51% when compared to that in air-saturated water, the initial amount of hydrogen peroxide formed as a byproduct in SLF is nearly doubled. Hydroxyl radical is also formed in the experiments with SLF, but at lower concentrations than in the experiments with water. The formation of these ROS indicates that the reaction mechanism for pyrite oxidative dissolution in SLF is no different from that in water. The elevated hydrogen peroxide concentration in SLF suggests that the decomposition, via the Fenton mechanism to hydroxyl radical or with Fe(III) to form water and molecular oxygen, is initially inhibited by the presence of SLF components. On the basis of the oxidative dissolution rate of pyrite measured in this paper, it is calculated that a respirable two micron pyrite particle will take over 3 years to dissolve completely.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 89%

Pyrite-driven reactive oxygen species formation in simulated lung fluid: implications for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis

Harrington

Hylton

Schoonen

2011

Environ Geochem Health

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“…19-2 ( 9.8) 21-7( 8-2) Low M 13 64.5 (20-6) 38-0 (21-6) 5-4 (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) 24-6 (14-8) 24-1 (15-6) 29-1 F 33 52-2 (15-5) 37-3 (16-5) 8-6 (3-5) 25-2 ( 9-3) 32-0 (11-1) 32-4 (11-3) PMF 33 44-4 (16-8) 36-3 (16-9) 9-8 (4-2) 21-4 ( 8-1) 37-0 (12-0) 37-6 (10-5)…”

Section: Dust Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microanalyses of lesions and lymph nodes from coalminers' lungs.

Chapman¹,

Ruckley²

1985

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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The dust content and composition of lesions and hilar lymph nodes from the lungs of British coalworkers have been examined. Samples of macules, fibrotic nodules, and massive fibrosis (both peripheral and central sites) were dissected from 49 lungs. The highest mean dust concentrations (about 20%) were found in nodules and massive fibrosis. Overall there were no significant differences between the selected lesion types and their respective whole lung dust composition, although the central sites of massive fibrosis were found to contain on average a higher proportion of coal and a lower proportion of ash and its measured constituents, quartz and kaolin plus mica, than the edge of the lesion (p < 0-001 for each component). There were striking differences between recovered lung and lymph node dusts. An examination of 180 specimens showed a mean quartz in lymph node dust of 20-3% compared with 611% in lung dust. As expected the proportion of quartz was greater in lymph nodes and lungs from men who had worked "low" rank (high ash) coal. Materials and methods SELECTION OF LUNGSThe original necropsy study included 500 sets of lungs with a measure of lung dust content available for 490 of these specimens. In the course of the study one lung from each pair was retained in store, the other having been used in determining the overall dust burden.

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“…The results showed that the amount of dust found in lungs from north west England was somewhat lower than in south Wales and that this dust had a significantly greater ash content.34 Subsequent work, covering most coalfields in Britain, indicated Accepted 14 April 1986 that the composition of the lung dust was related to the rank of coal mined. 5 At the same time the accumulation of dust in lungs was examined. Lungs from hauliers and other underground workers were shown to contain less dust and to accumulate less dust per year than those from colliers.1 Furthermore, the rate at which dust accumulated in the lungs of men without PMF was found to be related to coal rank, with men from collieries mining high rank coal accumulating dust faster than men mining low rank coal.5 This work also showed that men with PMF accumulated dust at a greater rate than men without.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lungs from hauliers and other underground workers were shown to contain less dust and to accumulate less dust per year than those from colliers.1 Furthermore, the rate at which dust accumulated in the lungs of men without PMF was found to be related to coal rank, with men from collieries mining high rank coal accumulating dust faster than men mining low rank coal.5 This work also showed that men with PMF accumulated dust at a greater rate than men without. 5 These studies made a major contribution to the understanding of the relation between occupational exposure to coalmine dust and the development of pneumoconiosis. They were, however, hampered by the lack of measurement of dust exposure other than "years underground."…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dust exposure, dust recovered from the lung, and associated pathology in a group of British coalminers.

Douglas¹,

Robertson²,

Chapman³

et al. 1986

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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The relation between dust exposure, retained lung dust, and pneumoconiosis have been examined in 430 dead coalminers who had participated in a large scale epidemiological survey of respiratory health. The men were divided into three groups depending on the presence of particular lesions in their lungs. Lungs containing no fibrotic lesions in excess of 1 mm were included in the "M" group, those with fibrotic lesions of between 1 mm and 9 mm in diameter were included in the "F" group, and those with any lesion 10mm or more were categorised as having progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). The men were further divided into four groups according to the rank of coal mined at the colliery of employment. The mean weight of lung dust increased over the pathological range (M-.F-+PMF) regardless of the rank of coal mined. The men with PMF had not received unusually high exposures to dust in life but were found to have accumulated more dust in their lungs per unit of dust exposure than men without PMF, providing further evidence for differences in the patterns of deposition or clearance, or both, of dust in these men compared with those who do not develop PMF. For men who had mined the higher rank coals there was no difference in the composition of the lung dust between the pathological groups. Lungs from men mining low rank coal, however, showed a striking increase in the proportion of ash over the pathological groups (M, F, and PMF). In men who had mined low rank coal the proportion of ash in the airborne dust to which they had been exposed and in the dust retained in their lungs was, as expected, greater than in men who had worked with higher rank coals. For the same men, and particularly associated with the presence of some dust related fibrosis, the proportion of ash in retained dust was higher than that in the dust to which the men were exposed suggesting the occurrence of selective deposition or retention of the mineral components of dust in this group.Early work on miners from south Wales suggested that the pathological grade of pneumoconiosis was directly proportional to the mass of dust recovered from the lungs at necropsy' and that the composition of the retained dust was little different from that encountered at the workplace.2 Progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) was considered to be either a complication resulting from a secondary factor, widely believed to be tuberculosis, or a form of silicosis.Regional variations in the prevalence of pneumoconiosis, particularly PMF, prompted an interest in studies of miners from areas other than south Wales. The results showed that the amount of dust found in lungs from north west England was somewhat lower than in south Wales and that this dust had a significantly greater ash content.34 Subsequent work, covering most coalfields in Britain, indicated Accepted 14 April 1986 that the composition of the lung dust was related to the rank of coal mined.5At the same time the accumulation of dust in lungs was examined. Lungs from hauliers and other underground workers were...

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Lung dust and lung iron contents of coal workers in different coalfields in Great Britain

Cited by 5 publications

References 11 publications

Pyrite-driven reactive oxygen species formation in simulated lung fluid: implications for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis

Pyrite-driven reactive oxygen species formation in simulated lung fluid: implications for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis

Microanalyses of lesions and lymph nodes from coalminers' lungs.

Dust exposure, dust recovered from the lung, and associated pathology in a group of British coalminers.

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