Chalk Dust
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In the evenings at my bouldering gym it is quite crowded and consequently quite a bit of chalk dust is kicked up. When I get home and blow my nose a dark substance which I assume to be condensed chalk dust is very noticable. |
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Baker and climber get da' "white Lung." You're going to die a horrible death. |
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I'd be more worried about what you inhale sitting in your car while stopped in traffic on the way to your gym. Magnesium carbonate is relatively harmless on the human system. It is used as a color preservative and an ingredient in face masks...which suggests it might even be good for you. |
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Tell your gym to buy two of these. They eat chalk! |
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I'll start looking into it right after I put down the bong! |
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Funny hippy |
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causes cancer if you put it "down there." Can you put a bandana thru one nostril and pull it out the other? |
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I deal with exotic wood sawdust in my shop, some of which is quite toxic. The typical risk isn't lung cancer, but rather sinus cancer. Anything that causes long term tissue irritation/damage can increase the chance of a genetic mistake during the healing. |
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Greg German wrote: (*Note: the mustache is my 1st stage filter)my butt, that thing's like a stage 10 uber-filter. |
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I think I've blown at least 360 lbs. of concrete dust out of my nostrils over the years and I'll probably die of silicosis eventually. And that's not even mentioning all the iron from years of grinding steel. |
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Great gag Mike, I have thought of doing the same thing with drywall dust. Which, to the point, I have inherently inhaled quite a bit of the stuff over a long period of time while sanding drywall. Certainly more than even an avid indoor climber could inhale in the span of say, a career. And I am pleased to say that aside from the occasional sinus infection when I already had a cold, I have been alright. I wouldn't worry about the dust, unless you have a severe chalk allergy. |
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Well, inhaling any particulate matter is not great for your lungs, but you're really asking "how bad is it really for me to inhale." |
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I'd suggest getting a herd of microskunks. They cleanse the air of chalk dust. |
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Hey Bruce, |
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Chalk can't be too harmful. Think about all the chalk we cram into open cuts to stop the bleeding. I have yet to get an infection in anyone of those cuts. I can count six spots on my hands right now that are healing up nicely. |
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I'm no doctor, but I did see a lecture on "chemistry in the lung" and it seems like the lungs are well equipped to deal with chalk. What I'm more worried about is the added "drying" agents. Does anyone know what is in Super Chalk, or what that can do to you?? |
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Most people have a serious magnesium deficiency, maybe it acts like a dietary supplement? Eh? Eh? |
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You're lungs should be slightly acidic b/c the CO2 you exhale forms H2CO3 in solution. This is important b/c MgCO3 is pretty soluble and in the presence of some H (from the H2CO3 and H2O) should result in Mg ions which will be absorbed into your blood stream, H2O (from the combination of the H and the extra O in CO3), and CO2. The amount of each of these constituents will depend on the concentrations of each, but the bottom line is that the H2O and Mg (and likely Ca that is in the chalk) will be absorbed by your body (good for you) and the CO2 will be breathed out w/ all the other CO2. |