Studies Show Mounting Evidence of Silica-Related Emphysema
in the Absence of Silicosis

There may be increasing evidence that low dose exposure to silica dust can lead to the development of emphysema and other conditions that can cause severe respiratory problems, even in the absence of silicosis.

In a survey of recent literature on the effects of cumulative silica exposure, a group of researchers from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recently analyzed several studies of gold miners exposure to silica dust, concluding among other things that workers exposed to dust concentrations between 0.2 and 0.1 mg/m³ showed a significant exposure-response relation for cumulative dust exposure and airflow obstruction independent of …