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Mariola Jablonska, University of Silesia (Poland)
Lucyna Lewinska-Preis, University of Silesia (Poland)
Janusz Janeczek, University of Silesia (Poland)
Andrzej Kita, University of Silesia (Poland)
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Amounts of mineral matter and silica contents were determined in 40 lung tissues obtained from deceased persons (14 females and 26 males) aged 18-98 who had formerly lived in the heavily populated and industrial region of Upper Silesia, Poland. Fourteen tissues were from people who had smoked. The content of mineral matter varied significantly around an average value of 3.28 ± 0.66 wt% (standard deviation SD 2.06). The lowest quantity 0.82 wt% was estimated in a female and the highest, 10.32 wt%, in a male. The contents of mineral matter in female tissue range from 0.82-7.00 wt% (SD 1.85) and, in male tissue, from 1.12-10.32 wt% (SD 2.17). The amount of mineral matter increases with the age of the lung tissue donors and proved significantly higher in tissue from people who smoked. A preliminary examination of the mineral particles found in the lung tissues revealed the presence of aluminosilicates and quartz as predominant constituents. Silica contents (av. 3.05 ± 0.84 wt%; SD 1.46) were determined in 14 tissues using wet chemistry. A minimum quantity of 0.37 wt% was measured in female tissue and a maximum of 5.65 wt% in the tissue of a smoker male. The highest silica content for non-smokers is 3.09 wt%. As with the mineral matter, silica contents increase with donor age and measured significantly higher in the lungs of smokers. Generally male lung tissues contain more mineral matter and silica than does female tissue. The contents of mineral matter and silica reach maxima in the age span 50-60 years; for mineral matter, the maximum is 3.02 wt% and, for silica, 4.82 wt%. In the age span 70-80 years, mineral matter amounts decrease to 2.46 wt% and silica to 2.14 wt%. Aluminosilicates (feldspars, clay minerals) and quartz were recognized as dominant components in earlier studies by us on the mineral composition of atmospheric dust pollutants. The focus of the present work is the influence of these same pollutants on the human lung. No data have been reported to-date about the levels of human-lung exposure to atmospheric silica in Poland. Thus, the present work was planned.
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