Pneumoconiosis among underground bituminous coal miners in the United States: is silicosis becoming more frequent?

Laney, A. Scott; Petsonk, Edward L.; Attfield, Michael D.

doi:10.1136/oem.2009.047126

Cited by 92 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Severe disease is occurring in younger coal miners and in certain geographic regions that are so-called hot spots. Surveillance chest radiographs of miners in these regions show an increasing proportion of r-type pneumoconiotic opacities, suggesting greater exposure to silica and silicates (9). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to describe the lung pathology and patterns of inflammation, fibrosis, and retained mineral particles in biopsies of contemporary miners with severe pneumoconiosis.…”

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confidence: 60%

“…Although most common in underground miners, PMF and rapidly progressive disease in surface coal miners have been described in several reports (20,21). Moreover, an increase in the prevalence of ILO r-type chest radiographic opacities has been described in miners from these regions, implicating overexposure to respirable silica as a possible risk factor (9). Despite the importance of these findings and their implications for workplace exposure control, little information on the histology of RPP was previously available.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lung Pathology in U.S. Coal Workers with Rapidly Progressive Pneumoconiosis Implicates Silica and Silicates

Cohen

Petsonk²,

Rose

et al. 2016

Am J Respir Crit Care Med

152

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Rationale: Recent reports of progressive massive fibrosis and rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis in U.S. coal miners have raised concerns about excessive exposures to coal mine dust, despite reports of declining dust levels.Objectives: To evaluate the histologic abnormalities and retained dust particles in available coal miner lung pathology specimens, and to compare these findings with those derived from corresponding chest radiographs.Methods: Miners with severe disease and available lung tissue were identified through investigator outreach. Demographic as well as smoking and work history information was obtained. Chest radiographs were interpreted according to the International Labor Organization classification scheme to determine if criteria for rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis were confirmed. Pathology slides were scored by three expert pulmonary pathologists using a standardized nomenclature and scoring system. Measurements and Main Results:Thirteen cases were reviewed, many of which had features of accelerated silicosis and mixed dust lesions. Twelve had progressive massive fibrosis, and 11 had silicosis. Only four had classic lesions of simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Four had diffuse interstitial fibrosis with chronic inflammation, and two had focal alveolar proteinosis. Polarized light microscopy revealed large amounts of birefringent mineral dust particles consistent with silica and silicates; carbonaceous coal dust was less prominent. On the basis of chest imaging studies, specimens with features of silicosis were significantly associated (P = 0.047) with rounded (type p, q, or r) opacities, whereas grade 3 interstitial fibrosis was associated (P = 0.02) with the presence of irregular (type s, t, or u) opacities.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis in these miners was associated with exposure to coal mine dust containing high concentrations of respirable silica and silicates.

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confidence: 60%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lung Pathology in U.S. Coal Workers with Rapidly Progressive Pneumoconiosis Implicates Silica and Silicates

Cohen

Petsonk²,

Rose

et al. 2016

Am J Respir Crit Care Med

152

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“…3 There are currently no known therapies that reduce the mortality rate of people affected with silicosis, but a simple line of defense against the disease is to monitor the amount of silica dust in the air and limit worker exposure. 5 While silicosis is easily preventable in principle, it still persists, 6,7 motivating NIOSH to investigate potential new monitoring approaches including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, 8,9 and in the current study, LIBS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for Measurement of Silica on Filter Samples of Coal Dust

Stipe¹,

Miller

Brown

et al. 2012

Appl Spectrosc

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Airborne silica dust (quartz) is common in coal mines and represents a respiratory hazard that can lead to silicosis, a potentially fatal lung disease. With an eye toward developing a portable monitoring device for rapid analysis of silica dust, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to quantify quartz in coal dust samples collected on filter media. Pure silica (Min-USil™ 5), Georgia kaolin, and Pittsburgh-4 and Illinois-6 coal dusts were deposited separately and at multiple mass loadings onto 37-mm polyvinylchloride (PVC) filters. LIBS-generated silicon emission was monitored at 288.16 nm, and non-silica contributions to that signal from kaolinite were removed by simultaneously detecting aluminum. Measurements of the four samples were used to calculate limits of detection (LOD) for silicon and aluminum of approximately 0.08 µg/cm 2 and 0.05 µg/cm 2 , respectively (corresponding to 0.16 µg/cm 2 and 0.20 µg/cm 2 for silica and kaolinite, respectively). Relative errors of prediction are around 10%. Results demonstrate that LIBS can dependably quantify silica on filter samples of coal dust and confirm that accurate quantification can be achieved for very lightly loaded samples, which supports the potential application of LIBS for rapid, in-field monitoring.

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“…Inhaling any kind of asbestos fibers causes the development of intense interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, which involves an inflammatory reaction, production of collagen and the formation of granuloma [2][3][4][5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Genotoxic Effects of Asbestos on Occupationally Exposed Workers in Brazil

Amaral¹,

Joca²,

Carvalho³

et al. 2016

Biomonitoring

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group and individuals without asbestosis, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that 28,4% and 50,5% of comet assay results were increased by exposure to asbestos and developed asbestosis. The results of CAT and GST were not difference between the groups. These results supports the association of genotoxic damage and the onset of asbestosis by chrysotile asbestos exposure in workers of this study.Keywords: asbestos, occupational exposure, genotoxicity. IntroductionAsbestosis is a form of pneumoconiosis caused by inhaling asbestos, a generic commercial designation for a group of naturally-occurring mineral silicate fibres of the serpentine (chrysotile asbestos) and amphibole series (actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite and tremolite) [1]. Inhaling any kind of asbestos fibers causes the development of intense interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, which involves an inflammatory reaction, production of collagen and the formation of granuloma [2][3][4][5].Asbestosis and other diseases related to asbestos are increasing worldwide [6,7] and several studies have shown that exposure to asbestos has contributed to occupationally-related cancer. Each year, approximately 125 million people around the world are occupationally exposed to asbestos and at least 100,000 people die because of diseases related to this exposure (for example asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, or asbestosis [1]) despite the fact that "chrysotile manufacturers, governments of asbestos-producing nations, and some asbestos miners' unions contend either that their products do not cause disease or that there is insufficient evidence to reach a reliable conclusion", as stated by Pezerat (2009) [8]. Abstract: Genotoxic effects of occupational workers exposed to asbestos can be evaluated using different biomarkers as oxidative stress enzymes in conjuction with comet assay. This study assessed changes to oxidative stress enzymatic parameters and genotoxic damage in workers occupationally exposed and non-exposed to chrysotile asbestos, who attended the outpatient Clinic of the Center for Worker Health Studies and Human Ecology (CESTEH/ENSP/FIOCRUZ) in Brazil. Chest radiography and spirometry were performed to assess clinical progression of symptoms. The traditional visual score comet assay in peripheral whole blood cells was used to assess DNA damage, and oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities. Respiratory alterations were observed in 53% of workers exposed, as determined by pulmonary function and bronchodilation, and 6 workers were diagnosed with asbestosis. The comet assay was statistically significantly higher in the exposed group and individuals with asbestosis compared to the non-exposed

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Pneumoconiosis among underground bituminous coal miners in the United States: is silicosis becoming more frequent?

Cited by 92 publications

References 23 publications

Lung Pathology in U.S. Coal Workers with Rapidly Progressive Pneumoconiosis Implicates Silica and Silicates

Lung Pathology in U.S. Coal Workers with Rapidly Progressive Pneumoconiosis Implicates Silica and Silicates

Evaluation of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for Measurement of Silica on Filter Samples of Coal Dust

Evaluation of Genotoxic Effects of Asbestos on Occupationally Exposed Workers in Brazil

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