The Study of Dust Nanoparticles and Their Impact on the Health of Mining Workers

Abstract

Throughout evolution, human lungs adapted to fighting respiratory tract infections and less so to mitigating the impacts of non-organic microparticles. When an infectious agent, immune complex, or a dust particle contacts with the phagocyte membrane, the oxygen consumption increases so intensively that this phenomenon received the name of “respiratory explosion”. The miner diseases are too numerous to cover them all in this article. Therefore, this work deals with the negative effects of marble and granite dust on the development of professional diseases. These are the most widely spread mineral rocks in Irkutsk Oblast and Russia in general. This research found that the inspected workshops in Irkutsk Oblast have high levels of pollution with granite and marble dust. Marble and granite dust from the quarries of Irkutsk Oblast contains between 40 and 80% of silicon dioxide (SiO2) in a free state. The dust of marble and granite mines causes dust-related lung diseases. We shall focus on their symptoms, diagnosis, and clinical features. This research was carried out with financial support from RFBR within the scope of the research project No 19-35-90096.