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Dust entry

Perlite dust

Perlite mineral dust generated during perlite processing and milling.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

pneumoconiosis concernpulmonary fibrosis concernrespiratory disease concern

Evidence

A NIOSH-indexed occupational health study reported high dust exposures and a high prevalence of radiographic abnormalities in perlite-processing facilities, and described experimental perlite dust exposure producing pulmonary fibrosis in rats; the animal finding is not a direct human disease diagnosis.

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Description · 1
The results indicated that occupational dust exposures in the facilities was very high and that exposed workers had a high prevalence of radiographic abnormalities ... The pneumotoxicity of perlite dust was confirmed in an investigation in which rats injected intratracheally with 50 milligrams perlite dust developed pulmonary fibrosis 12 to 18 months later.

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