Acute lung disease after exposure to fly ash.

Abstract

A 48-year-old man with no history of pulmonary disease developed acute lung disease after the intensive exposure of fly ash. He subsequently had progressive worsening of shortness of breath and hypoxemia to the point of requiring mechanical ventilation. Fly ash is a compound consisting of silicon dioxide and various other substances and is used in industrial settings to generate electricity. Exposure to fly ash may cause irritation to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and even pulmonary fibrosis in humans. To our knowledge, this is the first case report described in the medical literature of acute lung disease developing after fly ash exposure.

• Authors: D K Shrivastava, S S Kapre, K Cho, Y J Cho
• Journal: Chest (Chest) Vol. 106 Issue 1 Pg. 309-11 (Jul 1994) ISSN: 0012-3692 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8020301 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Coal Ash
• Industrial Waste
• Particulate Matter
• Carbon

Topics

• Accidents, Occupational
• Acute Disease
• Carbon (adverse effects)
• Coal Ash
• Humans
• Industrial Waste (adverse effects)
• Lung (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Particulate Matter
• Radiography
• Silicosis (diagnosis, etiology, pathology)