Objective
The research aims to evaluate the specific toxicity of mine dusts in individual coalfields and seams to specify preventative measures against pneumoconiosis and to set scientifically-based exposure thresholds, while allowing for differences in individual mines and seams.
Work will concern the analysis of biochemical, immunological and histochemical reactions to the inhalation of dust. The behaviour of macrophages in contact with the various sorts of particles will be investigated, from the initial membrane changes to alterations in metabolism and vitality after incubation of the particle.
The dust particles which trigger very disparate reactions will be subjected to further in vivo fibrogenity tests in order to obtain a complete picture of the cytotoxic and fibrogenic properties of the dusts in question .
The results of these tests will be used to verify the direct relationship between the type of mine and incidence of silicosis among miners either temporarily or permanently employed in these mines.
METHODS AND MEANS BY WHICH THE AIMS ARE TO BE ACHIEVED
Changes in metabolism as such can be identify via the changes in energy transformation, as indicated by glucose consumption and lactate formation .
The long-term effects of dust on lung tissue will be studied in its various phases using immunological and biological tests and a conventional transmission electronic microscope. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo data and incidence of pneumoconiosis will be studied in the different coalfields using epidemiological methods to establish the reliability of exposure thresholds.
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
45307 ESSEN
Germany