A preliminary study on the effect of chalk dust on human health0

Abstract

The chalk used in educational institutions is of two types, dusting chalk and non-dusting chalk. The regular dusting chalk produces a finer and lighter dust, which is more likely to linger in the air and be breathed in. Non-dusting chalks produce a heavier dust that is less likely to linger in the air. In most of the cases, a lot of the dust is heavier and do not tend fly at all. It is very similar to the regular dusting chalk and still creates dust. The ultimate difference lies in the fact how fine the dust is. Since the dusting chalk paves the way for many allergies this was becoming a problem. But on the other hand, the non-dusting chalks have more chemical composition when compared to dusting chalk. As both the chalks have different compositions, they have their own effect on human health. The present study explores human exposure to the harmful dust when chalk is used for teaching. In this study, a preliminary attempt was made to observe the varied responses of people of various age groups to share their responses on the effects of chalk in their lives through a structured survey. Various health issues caused were reported based upon the dust they were exposed to and concluded accordingly