“Black lung”

Respiratory system.

Inhalation of dust (fine particles of micrometric size) present in the professional environment or in the atmosphere can cause more or less severe lung affections.

Already known pathologies: pneumoconiosis, broncho-pulmonary cancer, pleura cancer, or lung disease are well known to be caused by inhalation of microparticles (1 to 100 microns). In addition, the toxicity of iron, beryllium, coal, silica, and asbestos dust, for example, is clearly identified.

Inhalation of ultra-fine particles of air pollution (size < 0.1 µm), in particular PM10/2,5 particles, could be the source of lung trouble (asthma, chronic cough, …) or cardiovascular problems (angina pectoris,…). Concerning the diesel particulates, the impact on human beings is not yet validated. But, they may contribute to the systemic effects through impairing hepatic transport of endogenous compound or drug substrates of these transporters.