Re: Will inhaled fiberglass dissolve in your lungs, body ect.

	
We can not give specific medical or consulting advice, but as far as the health issue 
goes, I did find that:

The scientific community has achieved consensus on at least one issue -- that the 
consumers who use those fibroglass products are under no threat. But the workers who 
inhale fiberglass dust in the process of making the wool, cutting it, installing or removing 
it may be at risk. 

I'm not sure about the broken fiberglass in your home.  It may be safer to get it removed.

As far as whether fiberglass dissolves or not, I admit to being sceptical myself that glass 
could be dissolved in the body.  

According to Owens Corning (who have an interest in showing that fiberglass dissolves, 
of course), fiberglass dissolves.   See:
http://www.uaw.org/hs/02/04/hs04.html

I also read a technical document on synthetic vitreous fibers, of which fiberglass is an 
example.  It also states that fiberglass can dissolve in the lungs. Most of the fiberglass 
that is taken into the body is flushed by water and mucous out of the nasal passages and 
throat and into the stomach, where they are passed through.  Cells of the immune 
system, such as macrophages, can injest small fiberglass particles.  The macrophages 
then move to the mucous layer, and on to the stomach and beyond.   Larger particles in 
the lungs often dissolve to smaller ones, and then are engulfed by the macrophages or 
removed by coughing. 


 I would recommend the document from which I learned the above information:
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp161-c1.pdf

Here is a document that describes research into HOW the glass dissolves:
http://plastics.about.com/library/PR/2001/blpsu3.htm

Thanks for your question!
Erin Cram, Moderator MadSci Network