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The health risks associated with exposure to respirable dust in coal mines have been attracted much attention by an increasing number of researchers. However, the accurate identification of potentially hazardous agents in respirable dusts and the evaluation of the potential health risks arising from it still remains controversial to varying degrees. A comprehensive understanding of the physicochemical properties of respirable dust is a prerequisite and an important basis for resolving this controversy. Therefore, in this study, the particle size distribution and morphology, pore structure, mineralogical and geochemical patterns, and oxidative potential (OP) of respirable coal mine dust were comprehensively investigated. Stepwise multiple linear regression was employed to identify dust components driving OP, such as anatase, tobelite, quartz, and ankerite, in respirable coal mine dust, along with Na, Ni, Se, W, and As. On this basis, we performed a single-factor risk prediction for different coal mines by considering factors that may impact miners' health, with the analyses yielding somewhat contradictory results. Therefore, a multifactor integrated prediction model is proposed using an entropy-based technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution to categorize coal mines in the study area into three risk categories, high-, medium-, and low-risk dust mines, which is important for the hierarchical classification and control of coal mines and for formulating appropriate dust prevention and control measures. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive investigation of the physicochemical and oxidative potential characteristics of respirable coal mine dust (RD). • Stepwise multiple linear regression was employed to identify the potentially hazardous agents of RD. • The TOPSIS was used to comprehensively evaluate health risks in various coal mines and sites within those mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative potential (OP) is considered to be an efficient indicator of particulate matter (PM) to induce oxidative stress in the lungs and is increasingly considered to be a relevant health metric. In this study, two complementary OP assays were deployed, including dithiothreitol (DTT) and ascorbic acid (AA) assays, to investigate the potential toxicity (as generators of oxidative stress) of respirable fractions (DD4, < 4 μm) of deposited dust (DD500, < 500 μm) in underground low-S and low-pyrite coal mines in Henan Province, Central China. The OPDTT of DD4 is higher than that reported for other types of atmospheric PM, whereas the OPAA of DD4 is similar and/or slightly higher. Cross-correlation and multilinear regression analyses are applied using datasets of major mineral and geochemical patterns in the DD4 samples and the respective OP values to identify the major drivers for OP in respirable coal dust. Thereafter, the patterns of DD4 are compared with those of DD500 and the parent coals to determine the sources of OP-relevant substances. OPDTT is mainly governed by some trace elements (Sb, As, Li, B, Sr, and Pb) and minor minerals (anatase, quartz, siderite), and their synergistic effect may be one of the reasons for the high DTT consumption. For OPAA, quartz, total clay (sum of illite, kaolinite, tobelite, and clinochlore) and Ni, Cr, Co, Si, and S, play an important role in regulating the OPAA of pyrite-free DD4 samples. These OP-relevant substances have three sources: coal dust, which has a similar composition in DD4, DD500, and the parent coal (such as siderite and its associated elements); gangue dust, which does not occur in the parent coal but is widely detected in DD4 and DD500 (such as quartz, kaolinite, and relevant elements); and cement dust (from gunite galleries), which is mainly calcite- and calcite-associated elements. • A study of the mineralogy, geochemistry and OP of deposited dust, respirable dust and coal in underground coal mines. • OPDTT of size-segregated respirable dust (DD4) is mainly governed by anatase, siderite, quartz, and Sb, As, Li, B, Sr, Pb. • OPAA of DD4 is regulated by anatase, tobelite, kaolinite, and total clay, as well as Ni, Cr, Co, Si, and S. • The parent coal dust, gangue dust, and cement dust are the primarily source of these hazardous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]