Black Lung
What is black lung?
Black lung, or coal workers' pneumoconiosis, is the name given lung diseases caused by inhaling coal-mine dust. Only the smallest dust particles make it past the nose, mouth and throat to the alveoli deep in the lungs.
- The alveoli, or air sacs, are responsible for exchanging gases with the blood. They are located at the ends of each bronchiole
- Macrophages, a type of blood cell, collect foreign particles and carry them to where they can be coughed out or swallowed.
- If too much dust is inhaled over an extended period of time, some particles and dust-laden macrophages collect permanently in the lungs.