The collapse of the World Trade Center generated an estimated 1 million tons of dust in a cloud that fell on the 16-acre disaster zone and blew southward, leaving a toxic trail in its wake. In the hours and days after the attack, the cloud of noxious dust found its way through windows and ventilation ducts in more than 2,000 buildings in lower Manhattan.

Despite early assurances that the air surrounding the attack site was safe to breathe, extensive testing conducted by the owners of Deutsche Bank revealed high levels of asbestos in the dust. It was later discovered that the EPA may have known as soon as one day after the attacks - September 12, 2001 - that one of the initial air samples contained asbestos levels that were four times higher than what was considered dangerous.

Asbestos-Laden Dust Put Many at Risk for Mesothelioma

When asbestos fibers are inhaled or swallowed, they can cause severe and untreatable diseases such as asbestosis, pleural disease, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of respiratory cancer that kills thousands of people each year. It is most often linked with direct and prolonged exposure to asbestos.

According to a pollution expert from the University of California at Davis, the caustic fine cement dust and sulfuric acid - a by-product of combustion - inhaled by those exposed to the air at Ground Zero defeated the lungs' defense system and allowed toxic particles to become deeply embedded in lung tissue. This dangerous combination of circumstances increased the vulnerability of all who came in contact with the contaminated air, potentially increasing their risk for mesothelioma and other serious lung diseases.

Since the symptoms of mesothelioma usually do not appear until many years after asbestos exposure, the number of cases related to the attacks of 9/11 is not yet known. However, the alarming rate of respiratory problems among those exposed to the air at Ground Zero appears to indicate a health crisis that will continue to unfold for years to come.

If you are experiencing breathing problems following exposure to the air at Ground Zero and the surrounding area, or if you are experiencing any other symptoms related to mesothelioma cancer, you may wish to visit the Mesothelioma Diagnosis Support Center.

For more information on this topic:

• September 11th and asbestos
• Ground Zero NY
• September 11th Health Issues