Cereal Chem 58:417 - 421.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Mineral Components of Grain Dust.

F. S. Lai, Y. Pomeranz, C. R. Martin, E. Dikeman, and B. S. Miller. Copyright 1981 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Particle size distribution patterns, protein and ash contents, and P, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu levels were determined in bin, belt, and cyclone grain dusts collected during handling of wheat, corn, grain sorghum, and soybeans in four commercial grain elevators. Generally, in the 2-125 micrometer particle size range, Gaussian size distribution was skewed, with particles in the 10-22 micrometer range making up the single largest fraction. Amounts of large particles (above 125 micrometer) were substantially larger in settled belt dusts than in airborne bin dusts. Relatively large differences in size distribution patterns were obtained for the tailing dust (collected by cyclone), which is the main dust source. Protein contents in grain dust were the same as for wheat and grain sorghum grains but lower than for whole corn and soybean. Ash levels in dusts had high coefficients of variability and were substantially higher than in whole grains by a factor of 8.0-19.0 for wheat, 4.0-15.9 for corn, 4.5-9.1 for grain sorghum, and 4.0-4.5 for soybeans. Compared with whole grains, dusts were relatively low in P and high in other minerals, especially the minor ones present in trace amounts. Wheat cyclone dust contained less protein and ash and less of most mineral components than did bin or belt wheat dusts. Several statistically significant associations between dust components are recorded.