Overview. Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth's crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete, and mortar contain crystalline silica. It is also used to make products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone.
Silica dust is produced while drilling these materials. You can get a lung disease called silicosis by breathing very small silica particles into your lungs. These particles can be seen only with a microscope. Silica Can Disable Or Kill You.
Silicosis is a lung disease. It usually happens in jobs where you breathe in dust that contains silica. That's a tiny crystal found in sand, rock, or mineral ores like quartz. Over time,...
If you develop a cough and trouble breathing, and you've worked with silica and its dust for years, you may have silicosis. This lung condition is serious and has no cure, but it can be treated. Talk to your healthcare provider and take steps to stay healthy.
Why Is Silica So Dangerous? Silica exposure can cause a wide range of diseases, many of which are progressive. When silica dust is inhaled over time, the tiny particles cause scarring and inflammation. This leads to the formation of lung nodules, which may be a sign of lung cancer.
Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis. [4] .
What is silica dust? The truth about Silica Dust | Cancer Council. Silica dust (crystalline silica) is found in some stone, rock, sand, gravel and clay. The most common form is quartz. Silica dust can also be found in the following products: bricks. tiles. concrete. some plastic material.
Silica dust has been known to cause serious health problems. Find out what silica dust is, its health risks, and how to protect yourself.
Silica dust is made up of small particles that can become airborne during work activities with materials that contain silica. Particles that are small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs are called respirable. Crystalline silica is typically found in: Soil; Sand; Concrete; Mortar; Granite and other minerals; Artificial stone
When silica dust enters the lungs, it causes the formation of scar tissue, which makes it difficult for the lungs to take in oxygen. There is no cure for silicosis. Silicosis typically occurs after 15–20 years of occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica.