Coal continues to play a crucial role in meeting the energy needs of the world, and its use will only increase in the future. The hazards of coal mining are not just mechanical, but also medical. The most common disease related to coal exposure is Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP). While some studies argue the main factors contributing to CWP are coal rank and length of exposure, recent works show the amount of bioavailable iron in the coal correlates best with incidences of CWP. Additionally, pyrite oxidation experiments performed on coal with varying amounts of pyrite determined that pyrite, rather than the organic fraction, caused the formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). In the present study, pyrite oxidation experiments performed in simulated lung fluid, show that not only do ROS form, but hydrogen peroxide forms at a rate of more than 2.5 times faster than in water alone.

Pyrite driven ROS formation in simulated lung fluid: Implications for coal workers' pneumoconiosis

239th National Meeting (2010)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.