Causes of Silicosis

What Causes Silicosis?

Silicosis is essentially caused by tiny silica (Silicon Dioxide) particles which are so small they can easily be breathed in, but so small they are often not breathed out – the particles become lodged in the lining of the lungs where they can remain, despite coughing or phlegm production, and go on to cause inflammation and scarring of the lung.

There are different types of Silica, but the most common form is Crystalline Silica which itself comes in three main varieties: quartz, cristobalite and tridymite – the most common being quartz. Around 12% of the earth’s crust is made up of crystalline silica making it the second most abundant mineral on the planet.

Crystalline silica is so common that it has become a building block of modern life. It is an irreplaceable ingredient in a host of high-tech applications from fibre-optic cables to the microchips that enable computers and phones to work, as well as its countless uses in building, transport and communications. In these contexts it is almost completely safe; it is inert (it doesn’t react with other chemicals) and is not harmful to health. However if it is cut, drilled, crushed or ground up, it can release the tiny breathable particles called Respirable Crystalline Silica and this can be very dangerous indeed.

If you picture a grain of table salt, it is likely to measure around 100 microns. The largest inhalable particles can be between 30 and 100 microns, smaller ones called the Thoracic Fraction measure up to 30 microns, whereas the Respirable Fraction measure less than 10 microns. These are known as RCS – Respirable Crystalline Silica – and are particularly dangerous as they can become embedded within the lining of the lungs paving the way for Silicosis to develop.

Silica is found in a huge range of different substances including rock, sand, clay, soil and even water, but its levels of concentration vary depending on the substance:

Sandstone contains between 70-90% silica, concrete and mortar can have between 25–45% silica, slate and bricks can contain between 20-40%, whereas Limestone and Marble contain lower amounts; around 2%. When these materials are broken up by cutting, drilling, grinding or even polishing, the tiny RCS particles are released into the atmosphere and without suitable protection can easily be inhaled by those nearby.

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