Biologic Activity of Lipid Coated Quartz Dust

摘要

The biological activity of quartz (14808607) dust coated with endogenous lipids was investigated. The theory under study was that the liopidic coating would render the quartz particles nonwettable, and therefore biologically inert. Lipid coated and uncoated dust was dispersed in water and injected into rats intratracheally. The animals were sacrificed 2 days, 6 months or 10 months following injection. No significant differences were found in the content of silica (7631869) and hydroxyproline in the lungs of rats injected with lipid coated or uncoated dust. Lymph node silica content was also similar between the two treatment groups. The quality or quantity of the silicotic nodulations induced by the lipid coated silica and by the noncoated silica were similar. The authors concluded that the treatment of quartz dust with endogenous lipids did nothing to reduce the biological activity of this mineral in its ability to produce silicotic nodulations and collagen in rat lungs. The clearing of silica dust from the lungs was also not changed by the treatment.