DRY METHOD TO OBTAIN COATED CRYSTALLINE SILICA WITH REDUCED TOXICITY

Researchers at the Universitat Jaume I in Castelló and from the Fraunhofer ITEM in Germany have developed and patented a new industrial process for producing quartz and other raw materials that contain it, with a low respirable crystalline silica (SCR)-related toxicity. The invention, funded by the European Union through the LIFE Programme, consists in the dry processing of quartz, in which its particles are treated with a covering agent so as to reduce or eliminate the toxicity due to RCS. The main aim of this process is to improve the health conditions in certain work settings by curbing diseases that result from exposure to RCS. Inhaling high concentrations of RCS for prolonged periods of time may result in the pathological reaction known as silicosis. In chronic cases, this may in turn lead to more severe diseases and even be the precursor for the development of tumours, which is a common problem in different industrial sectors around the world. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified RCS present in work settings, in the form of quartz and cristobalite, as carcinogenic for humans (category 1). Quartz, in particular, is one of the most widely used industrial raw materials because in most cases it cannot be replaced, due to technical or economic reasons, given its low price and the vast amounts that are consumed. In terms of exposure, RCS is probably one of the most widely extended chemical substances in Europe: millions of Europeans are exposed to it in their workplaces.