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Understanding the pathogenesis of occupational coal and silica dust-associated lung disease

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posted on 2025-05-11, 19:01 authored by Kanth Swaroop Vanka, Shakti Shukla, Henry GomezHenry Gomez, Carole James, Thavamani PalanisamiThavamani Palanisami, Kenneth WilliamsKenneth Williams, Daniel C. Chambers, Warwick J. Britton, Dusan IlicDusan Ilic, Philip Hansbro, Jay HorvatJay Horvat
Workers in the mining and construction industries are at increased risk of respiratory and other diseases as a result of being exposed to harmful levels of airborne particulate matter (PM) for extended periods of time. While clear links have been established between PM exposure and the development of occupational lung disease, the mechanisms are still poorly understood. A greater understanding of how exposures to different levels and types of PM encountered in mining and construction workplaces affect pathophysiological processes in the airways and lungs and result in different forms of occupational lung disease is urgently required. Such information is needed to inform safe exposure limits and monitoring guidelines for different types of PM and development of biomarkers for earlier disease diagnosis. Suspended particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 µm and 2.5 µm are considered biologically active owing to their ability to bypass the upper respiratory tract's defences and penetrate deep into the lung parenchyma, where they induce potentially irreversible damage, impair lung function and reduce the quality of life. Here we review the current understanding of occupational respiratory diseases, including coal worker pneumoconiosis and silicosis, and how PM exposure may affect pathophysiological responses in the airways and lungs. We also highlight the use of experimental models for better understanding these mechanisms of pathogenesis. We outline the urgency for revised dust control strategies, and the need for evidence-based identification of safe level exposures using clinical and experimental studies to better protect workers’ health.

History

Journal title

European Respiratory Review

Volume

31

Issue

165

Article number

210250

Publisher

European Respiratory Society

Language

  • en, English

College/Research Centre

College of Engineering, Science and Environment

School

School of Engineering

Rights statement

© The Authors 2022. This version is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licence 4.0. For commercial reproduction rights and permissions contact permissions@ersnet.org

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