Despite international efforts to limit worker exposure to coal dust, it continues to impact the health of thousands of miners across Europe. Airborne coal dust has been studied to improve risk models and its control to protect workers. Particle size distribution analyses shows that using spraying systems to suppress airborne dusts can reduce particulate matter concentrations and that coals with higher ash yields produce finer dust. There are marked chemical differences between parent coals and relatively coarse deposited dusts (up to 500 µm, DD₅₀₀). Enrichments in Ca, K, Ba, Se, Pb, Cr, Mo, Ni and especially As, Sn, Cu, Zn and Sb in the finest respirable dust fractions could originate from: (i) mechanical machinery wear; (ii) variations in coal mineralogy; (iii) coal fly ash used in shotcrete, and carbonates used to reduce the risk of explosions. Unusual enrichments in Ca in mine dusts are attributed to the use of such concrete, and elevated K to raised levels of phyllosilicate mineral matter. Sulphur concentrations are higher in the parent coal than in the DD₅₀₀, probably due to relatively lower levels of organic matter. Mass concentrations of all elements observed in this study remained below occupational exposure limits.

尽管国际社会努力限制工人接触煤尘，但它继续影响着欧洲数千名矿工的健康。已经研究了空气中的煤尘以改进风险模型及其控制以保护工人。粒度分布分析表明，使用喷雾系统抑制空气中的粉尘可以降低颗粒物浓度，并且灰分产量较高的煤炭会产生更细的粉尘。母煤和相对较粗的沉积粉尘（最大 500 µm，DD ₅₀₀）。最细的可吸入粉尘部分中的 Ca、K、Ba、Se、Pb、Cr、Mo、Ni 尤其是 As、Sn、Cu、Zn 和 Sb 的富集可能源于： (i) 机械机械磨损；(ii) 煤矿物学的变化；(iii) 喷射混凝土中使用的粉煤灰，以及用于降低爆炸风险的碳酸盐。矿尘中钙的异常富集归因于这种混凝土的使用，并将钾提高到层状硅酸盐矿物质的水平。母煤中的硫浓度高于 DD ₅₀₀中的硫浓度，这可能是由于有机物含量相对较低。本研究中观察到的所有元素的质量浓度均低于职业接触限值。