Toxicological effects of inhaled fracking sand dust on reactivity and neurogenic responses of isolated rat trachea

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cumpston AM ; Fedan, Jeffery S. ; Jackson MC ; McKinney W ; Russ KA ; Thompson J
• Description:
  Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) entails pumping a fluid and sand (silica) mixture through drilled wells to cause the fracturing of shale deep underground, resulting in the release of natural gas. During this process, workers at fracking sites are exposed to large amounts of respirable sand dust as it is prepared for pumping into the well. Inhalation exposure to high levels of crystalline silica is known to produce silicosis. To investigate the toxicological effects of inhaled fracking dust, rats were exposed to fracking sand dust (collected at a fracking site) at 10 mg/ m3 or 30 mg/m3 for 6 hours per day for 4 consecutive days. Tracheas were isolated from euthanized animals for in vitro preparations. In the isolated, perfused trachea at day 7 post-exposure to 10 mg/m3 the reactivity to methacholine (MCh) applied to the extraluminal surface of the trachea was increased as compared to air-breathing control animals. Contractile responses to intraluminally-applied MCh were unaffected by dust inhalation at any of the post-exposure time points examined. In tracheal strips, electrical field stimulation evoked contractions that were not affected by dust inhalation of 10 mg/m3 or 30 mg/m3 at any of the post-exposure time points. These findings suggest that at 10 mg/ m3, reactivity of airway smooth muscle to methacholine was increased but effector nerve function was not altered at either 10 or 30 mg/m3. No changes to the integrity of the epithelial cell lining of the trachea were observed. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cells, Cultured Dust Environmental Exposure Immune System Inhalation Exposure Laboratories Lung Methacholine Compounds Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Oil And Gas Industry Quartz Respiratory System Safety Silicon Dioxide Toxicology

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• Keywords:
  Airway Resistance Cell Cultures Crystalline Silica Dust Exposure Dust Inhalation Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Fracking Gas Industry Hydraulic Fracturing Immune Reaction Inhalants Laboratory Animals Laboratory Testing Lung Function Methacholines Muscle Function Natural Gas Nerve Function Pulmonary Function Quartz Dust Sand Silica Silica Dusts Throat

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• ISSN:
  1096-6080
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 6 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  74
• Volume:
  150
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047612
• Citation:
  Toxicologist 2016 Mar; 150(1):74
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Oil and Gas Extraction
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  The Toxicologist. Society of Toxicology 55th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, March 13-17, 2016, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ff4a166ac95fb8931f8a332588923d2361473dc5344c10a44cc4d010280b0b4ca61156b003f2f8621c3ea4d6787ee852fe38aff19b72cf5365070290c9780f20
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202627/cdc_202627_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 441.28 KB ]