Danger Dust

Once voted the UK’s favourite river, the River Wye flows from the Welsh mountains to the Severn estuary – 150 miles through an officially recognised “national landscape”. But this idyllic picture is changing, as the river is gradually choked by waste from industrial chicken farming.

In the land that feeds into these rivers, millions of chickens are being reared in intensive units to supply supermarkets with cheap meat and eggs. But all those chickens produce vast amounts of manure which can end up in the rivers.

This floods the river with excess nutrients causing algal blooms to flourish. The algae blocks out sunlight and consumes oxygen, which kills other creatures in the water. For instance the number of Atlantic salmon passing through the River Wye each year has plummeted from 50,000 in the 1960s to less than 3,000.

The problems caused by chicken farming have led to legal action against US food company Cargill and its subsidiary Avara Foods (both firms deny the allegations). Meanwhile food outlets including Nando’s have denied sourcing their products from polluting farms.

University of New Mexico researchers studying the health risks posed by gadolinium, a toxic rare earth metal used in MRI scans, have found that oxalic acid, a molecule found in many foods, can generate nanoparticles of the metal in human tissues.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents are injected prior to MRI scans to help create sharper images, Wagner said. The metal is usually tightly bound to other molecules and is excreted from the body, and most people experience no adverse effects. However, previous research has shown that even in those with no symptoms, gadolinium particles have been found in the kidney and the brain and can be detected in the blood and urine years after exposure.

Scientists are left with intertwined puzzles: Why do some people get sick, when most don't, and how do gadolinium particles become pried loose from the other molecules in the contrast agent?

Demonstration of Subclinical Early Nephrotoxicity Induced by Occupational Exposure to Silica among Workers in Pottery Industry

Silica dust was suspected to affect the human kidney over 90 years ago.

The detected pathologic renal changes are similar to those induced by nephrotoxic heavy metals in the form of dose-related nephropathy that causes degenerative changes in tubular epithelium and interstitial inflammation, fibrous nephrosis, glomerulonephritis, and systemic vasculitis.

Additionally, it was demonstrated that silica exposed workers can experience distinct renal histologic alterations in glomerular and proximal tubules.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Prolonged and intensive occupational exposure to silica could result in subclinical nephrotoxicity. It can thus be associated with an increased risk of future end-stage renal disease.

Usage of urinary biomarkers to detect signs of preclinical glomerular and tubular affection seems to be a simple and non-invasive screening tool to identify silica-exposed workers who carry a higher risk of future nephropathy

Purpose

To study the risk for eye diseases in individuals with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and to assess whether silica dust-exposure could contribute to the development of inflammatory eye diseases.

Conclusion

UC is associated with an increased risk for eye diseases, including inflammatory conditions. Our findings highlight that silica dust-exposure may be of importance in the pathogenesis of uveitis.

Occupational exposure to silica or silicon dioxide dust has been examined as a possible risk factor with respect to several diseases, like tuberculosis, lung cancer, systemic vasculitis , rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis , systemic lupus erythematosus , renal involvement , etc.

Early in 1951, Saita G et al.firstly reported that the renal functions were decreased in some silicosis patients. Subsequently, several epidemiological evidences suggested that the silica exposure was associated with an increased risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), or specifically glomerulonephritis.

Silica nephropathy referred to the floorboard of kidney diseases after exposure to silica or silicon dioxide, including tubulo-interstitial disease, immune-mediated disease, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease. In literatures, the renal histopathology of silica nephropathy was varied, including focal glomerureview ritis, necrotizing glomerulonephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis, etc.

OP: @tomkindlon@disabled.social

In the ScienceNorway article, comments from Professor Karl Johan Tronstad highlight findings from the research study suggesting that the support people with ME/CFS are receiving through the welfare and healthcare systems in Norway is having little rehabilitative effect (little positive impact on enabling people with the disease to be as independent as possible in everyday activities).

Within the article, the importance of the use of strict diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS in research, and the need to explore new treatment methods for the disease are emphasised by Prof. Tronstad. Importantly, researcher Anne Kielland also points out that until a truly effective treatment is found, research efforts should also focus on methods to improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS.

A 10 μg/m³ increase in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with a 4.6% rise in daily deaths on extremely hot days—substantially higher than the 0.8% increase observed on regular warm days.

Similarly, the risk of death rose by 8.3% when temperatures shifted from warm to extremely hot at a pollution level of 20 μg/m³—but surged to 64% when PM2.5 reached 100 μg/m³.

These results highlight a concerning synergy between heat and air pollution, showing that their combined effects on health are significantly more harmful than either factor alone.

Polymer-coated nanoparticles loaded with therapeutic drugs show significant promise for cancer treatment, including ovarian cancer. These particles can be targeted directly to tumors, where they release their payload while avoiding many of the side effects of traditional chemotherapy.

To help move these nanoparticles closer to human use, the researchers have now come up with a manufacturing technique that allows them to generate larger quantities of the particles, in a fraction of the time.

Source:

High-Throughput Microfluidic-Mediated Assembly of Layer-By-Layer Nanoparticles

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202503965

Research led by Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin has found that metal particles from artificial joint implants can enter the central nervous system and accumulate in cerebrospinal fluid, raising concerns about potential neurological effects.

Over time, wear and corrosion of these materials can release microscopic particles into surrounding tissue. These byproducts have been linked to problems near the implant site, including inflammation, tissue damage, and loosening of the joint.

A wearable artificial kidney (WAK) stands poised to offer dialysis treatment with maximal temporal and spatial flexibility for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, while portability has not yet been achieved due to difficulties in portable purification.

We believe that the integration of this scalable ICP dialyzer into the WAK holds tremendous potential for substantially enhancing the quality of life for individuals with ESRD.

Silica exposure also is associated with an increased risk for TB. Silica and silicosis are risk factors for developing mycobacterial lung infections. According to Shukla and colleagues, patients with silicosis have a 10- to 30-fold increased incidence of TB. Fundamental research suggests that pulmonary macrophages damaged by silica may be unable to fight off the mycobacteria. Clinicians should closely investigate mycobacterial lung infections in workers with high silica exposures, to not miss the possible diagnosis of silicosis.

Silicosis is associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases and lung cancer.Specific autoantibodies have not been identified, but studies have demonstrated an association between silica exposure and systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Silica dust is believed to promote or accelerate disease development, break immune tolerance, initiate autoimmunity, or magnify autoimmune vulnerability.

Respirable crystalline silica was recognized as early as 1997 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen, and its carcinogenicity was reconfirmed in a 2009 report.

Clinicians need to understand that silicosis can be more than a chronic disease that presents after many years of exposure to silica. Cases of acute and accelerated silicosis are increasing and need to be recognized as potential diagnoses in young workers with pulmonary complaints.

No cure exists for any form of silicosis, and lung transplantation is the only lifesaving treatment. Primary care clinicians must understand when patients are at risk for developing silicosis and not assume that a short time of exposure precludes the development of silicosis.

An outbreak of tuberculosis (TB), a lung disease often marked by a persistent cough, began in January 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas, and two neighboring counties. As of early March 2025, the outbreak is ongoing. So far, 147 people have been diagnosed, with 67 developing symptoms. The remaining 80 cases are classified as latent infections, meaning the individuals carry the bacteria but do not show symptoms.

TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, second only to COVID-19 during the first three years of the pandemic.

In conclusion, this study demonstrates the anthelmintic properties of stonefish ichthyocrinotoxins and highlights their potential as novel therapeutics. While both S. horrida and S. verrucosa ichthyocrinotoxins showed activity against skin-burrowing hookworm larvae, the isolated small component mixture from S. horrida ichthyocrinotoxin emerged as the most promising drug lead due to its increased potency to the parasite, favourable size for drug development, and reduced cytotoxicity compared to the crude extract. However, further isolation and identification of the active component(s) within S. horrida ichthyocrinotoxin are needed to fully determine its clinical relevance.

A recent study, published in the International Journal of Paleopathology, examined the skeletal remains of a child who lived in mid-19th-century France. The study revealed that the child had suffered from rickets and scurvy and was likely treated using mercury before his death at only 3–4 years old.

Mercury is a highly toxic metal that has been used to treat various diseases for centuries, including venereal and skin diseases.

Silica exposure has been linked to conditions including silicosis, lung cancer and kidney disease as well as scleroderma.

Despite his office being upstairs and away from the manufacturing of the benchtops, Mr Cabral said he’d often be greeted by layers of dust across his desk in the mornings.

“I would wipe my whole desk with wet wipes because I could feel the dust."

He said he also had to go down to where the stone was being cut to relay information to staff as well as use the toilets, which he claimed were also often covered in dust.

He was still active – often going for walks and jogs – at 55 when he noticed the first signs of scleroderma, an auto-immune disease linked to silica exposure that can cause swelling, pain, stiffness in joints and trouble swallowing.

He first noticed swelling in his hands around Easter in 2021, but by November he was using a cane.

Researchers have detected PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) associated with a nearby fluorochemical plant in the household dust of homes located in Cumberland and Bladen counties, North Carolina.

Additionally, the researchers detected high levels of other PFAS not necessarily associated with the fluorochemical plant in over 90% of samples taken from homes. Overall, the findings indicate that household dust can be an additional PFAS exposure source.

Mpox has the potential to become a significant global health threat if taken too lightly, according to scientists at the University of Surrey.

In a letter published in Nature Medicine, researchers highlight how mpox—traditionally spread from animals to humans—is now showing clear signs of sustained human-to-human transmission.

Ultrafast electron imaging reveals never-before-seen nuclear motions in hydrocarbon molecules triggered by light. The interaction between hydrocarbon molecules and light can influence the formation of nitrous acid in the atmosphere, a compound that plays a significant role in air pollution. In this study, researchers investigated how proton transfer contributes to these light-induced molecular processes.

Intramolecular proton transfer occurs when a proton moves from one part of a molecule to another within the same molecule. To observe these rapid movements, the team used an ultrafast electron camera capable of capturing molecular motion on a scale more than 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

Effects on health

The Harmattan, a dry, cool wind filled with dust, microbes and parasites, has significant health impacts. It is linked to numerous conditions affecting the skin and mucous membranes of people and animals. By degrading air quality, it can also contribute to respiratory infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma.

The Harmattan facilitates the spread of diseases, such as influenza. It also facilitates the proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis, a severe illness, as well as meningococci, which cause meningitis. This disease is particularly common in Sahelian countries.

Research has quantified the Harmattan’s impact on air quality and public health. Studies show a 15% increase (annual average) in fine dust particle concentrations during the recent years has been linked to a 24% increase in infant mortality.

We've heard of some issues they develop like black lung, asbestos lung, and asthma, but there are hundreds of others, says Dr. Lijo Illipparambil, a pulmonary critical care expert at Temple Health.

"Like Farmer's lung. There's also Bird Fanciers' lung," says Dr. Illipparambil. "There used to be a Wine Growers lung."

Dr. Illipparambil says who develops an ailment depends on exposure, background, genetics, and still-unidentified factors.

"Some people get exposed their entire lives and have no issues, right? Others get exposed a couple times, and they end up having progressive pulmonary fibrosis," he says.

A recent finding in Nature showed that the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds with fibrinogen, leading to thrombo-inflammation. This raises a fundamental question: Why does the virus need to bind with fibrinogen? Could this interaction provide an evolutionary advantage to the virus? Could this be the reason behind post-COVID heart attack cases?

Hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus is associated with patient morbidity and mortality, despite adequate antibiotic therapy. This illustrates the need for treatments beyond antibiotics.

The study provides evidence that complex bacterial toxins can be targeted in vivo by drug-like small molecules.

We could be producing concrete that's 30 percent stronger by processing and adding charred coffee grounds to the mix, researchers in Australia discovered.

Their clever recipe could solve multiple problems at the same time. Every year the world produces a staggering 10 billion kilograms (22 billion pounds) of coffee waste globally. Most ends up in landfills.

Much has been made of the similarity in symptoms between ME/CFS and long COVID – the chronic condition that some patients develop following COVID-19 infection – and whether the two might be linked.

Dr Wüst’s own research in a cohort of patients with long COVID uncovered a number of abnormalities in muscle function following exercise, as well as an increase in the accumulation of microscopic blood clots (microclots) in the muscle tissue.

Oxidative and nitrosative stress 

During the process of energy production, mitochondria produce highly reactive oxygen molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). While ROS play a key role in the regulation of cell function, excessive levels can cause damage to cells and tissues.

ROS are normally kept under control by natural processes which remove them from them the circulation, but when an imbalance occurs ROS can be left to build up and cause damage in the body – a state known as oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress has been linked to many diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and it has also been associated with ME/CFS. In fact, findings suggest that the “normal processes controlling free radicals are not working properly in patients with ME/CFS”.

Interestingly, the authors highlight that nitrosative stress – which occurs when reactive nitrogen species build up in the body – has also been identified in people with ME/CFS. Like oxidative stress, nitrosative stress has been linked to cell damage and disease.