how do our lungs rid themselves of particulate matter? Does it get broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream?
In: Biology
Your lungs are lined with mucus. The first step is for the particle to get stuck on the mucus. There’s no way for particles to get from your lungs into your blood, although some types can lodge in your lungs and stay there (this is part of why asbestos is so nasty).
Your lungs are lined with bazillions of tiny hairs called “cilia” that gently wave “upwards”…back towards your throat. This pushes the mucus layer slowly up to your throat, where you swallow or it, if there’s a lot, cough it up and spit it out.
If a person has a weak cough reflex or other difficulties with swallowing (called Dysphagia), they may end up with food in their lungs. This can lead to an infection called Aspiration Pneumonia because bacteria may be attached to that piece of food and the lungs have no way to expel it.
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