Engineered silica nanoparticle coatings

You may never have heard of engineered silica nanoparticles before but you're bound to have been exposed to them already. They are one of modern industries favourite new toys as they transform our world in ways which most people can't appreciate. They waterproof and protect clothes from bacteria and viruses. They aid delivery of medications and some natural supplements. They preserve food from spoilage.

In my case

In my own case they were used to protect the outside of glass bottles from friction damage. Since, for the most part, they are currently classified as being only as toxic as the substances from which they are sourced this means that they are classified as relatively safe, as they are mostly sourced from resins. Medical researchers have only been publishing articles about their potential dangers since around 2015 and there are quite a few around now. The current outbreak of rapid progression silicosis among artificial stone workers is massively raising their profile, as the particles are used to bond the stone together, among medical professionals however they still aren't recognized for the threat they pose.

Exposure and its effects

I learnt this due to exposure to the glass coatings which I mentioned. The glass industry refuses to even allow respirators for workers who adjust the sprays, claiming that they're perfectly safe. When my lungs and body finally failed I was, like other glassworkers I had known, labeled as a mental health case by doctors and spent years struggling with the massive ill-health which resulted from the exposures to the sprays before I was finally able to obtain assistance and prove my case to the doctors. I am now faced with the task of proving all of this again, in court. While I already believe that I have sufficient proof of my case it amazes me that I continually find more and more information about how the exposures affect the health. A short list of potential effects which I'm already aware of are gastrointestinal burns, respiratory issues, genetic mutations, mitochondrial disorders, blood clotting and artificially high blood oxygen levels, myopathy and chronic fatigue, and so on. People who are aware of my case are predicting the nanoparticles as being a comparable hazard to asbestos.