The Fate of Siliceous Dust in the Body: I. A Comparison of the IN VIVO Solubilities of Cement, Carborundum, Quartz, and Moulding Sand

Abstract

The in vivo solubilities of cement, carborundum, quartz, and molding sand were compared. Dust suspensions were injected into mice intraperit. and the solubility was followed both by determining the silica excreted in the urine and by analyzing certain organs to which the dust might be carried by phagocytosis. Only by cement was silica excretion increased appreciably in the urine. Tissue analysis confirms this result and suggests that cement has a relatively high solubility in body fluids.