title: Mica dust and pneumoconiosis: example of a pure occupational exposure in a muscovite milling unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We present pulmonary disorders of four employees who were exposed to high concentration of pure mica dust in a muscovite milling unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases underwent traditional examinations with a dual-energy chest computed tomographic scan. An analysis of exhaled breath condensate by Raman microspectrometry and of mineralogical content of a lung biopsy was performed for one case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cases showed bilateral micronodular ground glass opacities and mediastinal and hilar hyperdense lymph nodes consistent with the nodal sequestration of mineral particles. Histological analysis showed giant cell granulomas without typical silicotic nodule with high concentration of birefringent particles consistent with mica. Mica particles found in the exhaled breath condensate were identical to particles in ambient air at the company.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational exposure to mica dust is responsible for diffuse infiltrative lung disease by overload processes.
authors.affiliation: From the Univ Lille Nord de France (Drs Hulo, Cherot-kornobis, Edme, de Broucker, Falgayrac, Penel, and Sobaszek), F-59000 Lille, France; EA 4483 (Drs Hulo, Cherot-kornobis, Edme, de Broucker, and Sobaszek) and EA 4490, PMOI (Dr Falgayrac), UDSL, F-59000 Lille, France; and CHU Lille (Drs Hulo, Cherot-kornobis, Edme, de Broucker, Falgayrac, Penel, Legrand-Cattan, Remy, and Sobaszek), F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hulo
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cherot-kornobis
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Edme
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Broucker
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falgayrac
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Penel
authors.forename: Karinne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Legrand-Cattan
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Remy
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sobaszek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000633:toxicity*; D001944:Breath Tests; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D006101:Granuloma, Giant Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; C517971:muscovite; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C011934:mica