US EPA

3097868 

Journal Article 

Some Observations of the Dust Content and Composition in Lungs with Asbestosis, Made during Work on Coal Miners Pneumoconiosis 

Nagelschmidt, G 

1965 

Yes 

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
ISSN: 0077-8923
EISSN: 1749-6632 

NIOSH/00192601 

132 

64-76 

Studies of lung dust concentration and occupational asbestosis, dating from 1930 to 1961, were reviewed. Lungs from workers in Great Britain, analyzed for asbestos (1332214) content and grade of fibrosis. Mineral residues in ashed, dried lungs ranged from 1.4 to 1.8 percent lung weight, for minimal to severe fibrosis, respectively, although the distinction between moderate and severe fibrosis was not clear in terms of residue percent. Light microscopy examination of dried lung residues did not identify a similar dose/response relationship, and fibers were found in about half of all lungs. Grade of fibrosis was related to the silicon-dioxide and ferric-oxide (1309371) content similar to mineral residue content; iron content in the lung was markedly higher than that in lungs of workers not exposed to mineral dusts. An incomplete study of asbestos workers in South Africa indicated that neither type of asbestos nor grade of fibrosis were related to the amount of mineral residue in lungs prepared by acetic-acid. In addition, no asbestos was found in nearly half of all lungs examined. The authors conclude that asbestos is possibly dissolved in the lung, with amosite (12172735) being the most resistant to dissolution.