Unusual Ciliary Abnormalities in Three 9/11 Response Workers

McMahon, James T.; Aslam, Rizwan; Schell, Stephen E

doi:10.1177/000348941112000106

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…They also showed that these changes were associated with significant prolonged retention of the dusts (≈90–95%) over the 1-year period. These findings were in line with observations by McMahon et al (2011), who noted ultrastructural ciliary abnormalities in some Ground Zero workers that corresponded to respiratory and ciliary functional abnormalities, including impaired ciliary motility. Among the ultrastructural abnormalities was a disarray of axonemal microtubules and/or axonemes that were replaced by homogeneously dense cores.…”

Section: Insights Gained From In Vivo and In Vitro Studies Of Biologisupporting

confidence: 92%

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Health effects of World Trade Center (WTC) Dust: An unprecedented disaster with inadequate risk management

Lippmann¹,

Cohen²,

Chen³

2015

Critical Reviews in Toxicology

100

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The World Trade Center (WTC) twin towers in New York City collapsed on 9/11/2001, converting much of the buildings’ huge masses into dense dust clouds of particles that settled on the streets and within buildings throughout Lower Manhattan. About 80–90% of the settled WTC Dust, ranging in particle size from ~2.5 μm upward, was a highly alkaline mixture of crushed concrete, gypsum, and synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs) that was readily resuspendable by physical disturbance and low-velocity air currents. High concentrations of coarse and supercoarse WTC Dust were inhaled and deposited in the conductive airways in the head and lungs, and subsequently swallowed, causing both physical and chemical irritation to the respiratory and gastroesophageal epithelia. There were both acute and chronic adverse health effects in rescue/recovery workers; cleanup workers; residents; and office workers, especially in those lacking effective personal respiratory protective equipment. The numerous health effects in these people were not those associated with the monitored PM2.5 toxicants, which were present at low concentrations, that is, asbestos fibers, transition and heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs, and dioxins. Attention was never directed at the very high concentrations of the larger-sized and highly alkaline WTC Dust particles that, in retrospect, contained the more likely causal toxicants. Unfortunately, the initial focus of the air quality monitoring and guidance on exposure prevention programs on low-concentration components was never revised. Public agencies need to be better prepared to provide reliable guidance to the public on more appropriate means of exposure assessment, risk assessment, and preventive measures.

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Section: Insights Gained From In Vivo and In Vitro Studies Of Biologisupporting

confidence: 92%

“…There is also some evidence that human exposure to WTC Dust can cause disruption of mucociliary particle clearance (McMahon et al 2011). They reported unusual ultrastructural ciliary abnormalities in 3 WTC response workers that corresponded to their respiratory and ciliary functional abnormalities.…”

Section: Dosimetry Of Wtc Dusts In Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%