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The job of the lungs is to exchange gases, allowing oxygen to be absorbed into the blood stream from the air we breathe, and get rid of waste carbon dioxide from the body. In the same way, the lungs will readily absorb other chemicals found in workplace air. As well as gases, solids can reach the lungs when present as small particles suspended in air, such as dusts and fumes. One of our case studies involves fumes from solder flux, and dusts from asbestos, silica, wood, cotton and flour have killed thousands of workers. Some dusts may also cause a particular kind of explosion.

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