Interaction of Mount St. Helens' volcanic ash with cells of the respiratory epithelium

Respirable-sized dust from the Mount St. Helens (MSH) eruption of spring 1980, and minerals similar to the major components of the volcanic ash were examined comparatively for interactions with ephitelial cells of rodent respiratory airway in vitro. The results of these studies suggest that volcanic ash from MSH interacts minimally with cells of the respiratory mucosa