Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis

In addition to the aforementioned dusts and fibers, coal mine dusts may also stimulate oxygen radical production [199], In this case hydroxyl radical production and lipid peroxidation also correlated well with the content of available surface iron. It has been proposed that free radical-mediated processes can be a casual cause of coal workers pneumoconiosis due to exposure to coal dusts. 

Morgan WKC Coal workers pneumoconiosis. In Morgan WKC, Seaton A (eds) Occupational Lung Diseases, 2nd ed, pp 377-488. Philadelphia, PA, WB Saunders, 1984... 

Morgan WKC, Burgess DB, Jacobson G, et al The prevalence of coal workers pneumoconiosis in US coal miners. Arch Environ Health 27 221-226, 1973... 

Chronic bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, obstructive lung disease, focal emphysema, progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP), siUcosis Acute bronchospasm, pneumonitis, chronic exposure leads to Itmg fibrosis, progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP), silicosis Ocular and upper airway irritation, bronchospasm in severe exposure, contact dermatitis... 

Perhaps the most widely known health impact of coal is black lung disease also known as coal workers pneumoconiosis. This was a widespread respiratory problem of coal miners caused by inhalation of dust particles during mining. The mineralogical content of the coal may play a role in the incidence and severity of the disease (Finkelman et al., 2002). 

Castranova V. and Vallyathan V. (2000) Silicosis and coal workers pneumoconiosis. Environ. Health Perspect. 108(suppl. 4), 675-684. 

Huang X., Fournier J., Koenig K., and Chen L. C. (1998) Buffering capacity of coal and its acid-soluble Fe content possible role in coal workers pneumoconiosis. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 722-729. 

Chronic fibrotic occupational lung diseases include asbestosis (see p 121), silicosis, coal workers pneumoconiosis, and a few other less common fibrotic lung diseases associated with occupational exposures to such substances as beryllium and hard metal (cobalt-tungsten carbide). These conditions occur after years of exposure and with long latency, although patients may present for evaluation after an acute exposure. Referral for follow-up surveillance is appropriate if exposure is anticipated to be long term. 

Fig. 1. Viktor Reichmann (1881-1956) in 1920 came from Jena University to Bochum to become an expert in the clinics and roetgenology of coal workers pneumoconiosis...

Coal workers pneumoconiosis is associated with increased basal and PMA-stimulated 02 formation in their alveolar macrophages in comparison to control subjects (Wallaert et al. 1990). In 96 coke oven workers Nadif et al. (1997) found erythrocyte catalase activity significantly higher and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity significantly lower than in 105 randomly recruited non-exposed workers from a power plant. 

The particulate matter in the lungs of rats exposed to aerosols (6.6 1.9 mg/m and 14.9 6.2 mg/m ) of high-potential coal workers pneumoconiosis bituminous coal dust from a mine in Appalachia for up to 20 months was contained almost entirely within the cytoplasm of alveolar macrophages so burdened with the material that cellular detail was obscured (Busch et al. 1981). 

The Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn content of coal from a Pennsylvania mine having a high incidence of coal workers pneumoconiosis was found to be higher than a sample of coal from a Utah mine with low incidence (Sorenson et al. 1974). The cadmium content was found to be the same in both coals. 

Coal workers pneumoconiosis is also a concern at surface coal mines and preparation plants, but not to the extent as in underground mines for high-risk occupations. Dust control measures for surface mines (primarily for dust generated from drilling, hauling, and crushing) are different from the ones implemented in underground mines, and these will be covered in the section on control of hazards. 

Green FHY (1998) Coal workers pneumoconiosis and pneumoconiosis due to other carbonaceous dusts. In Churg A, Green FHY (eds) Pathology of occupational lung disease, 2nd edn. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 129-208... 

Lapp NL, Parker JE (1992) Coal workers pneumoconiosis. Clin Chest Med 13 243-251... 

Wagner JC, McCormick JN (1967) Immunological investigations of coal workers pneumoconiosis. J R Coll Ph) (Lond) 2 49-56... 

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