[Study of deposition and translocation of mineral dust in lungs of tin miners in Yunnan by X-ray microanalysis].

Histochemistry, SEM-EDX and X-ray fluorescence analysis were applied to detect the distribution of iron, arsenic and other related elements in the pulmonary tissues of tin miners in Yunnan. Lesions obtained in human beings could be reproduced in rats subjected to intratracheal injection of arsenic containing ore dust, which was prepared in order to study the deposition, dissociation and release of inhaled less-soluble arsenic containing ors dust in the lungs and the process of development of different ferruginous bodies. Data obtained in the pulmonary tissues provided also the evidence about the role of arsenic as the etiological factor of lung carcinoma in the tin miners of Yunnan province.