The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.

You can't tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it, and you can't smell or taste it. It can only be found when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up 99% of the Woodhaven Asbestos attorney production. It was employed in many industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they may develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, traces of it can still be found in the products we use in the present.

Chrysotile is safe to use in the event that you have a complete safety and handling program in place. It has been found that at the current controlled exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers handling the substance. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have been strongly connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven both in terms of intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and the national death rate. The study revealed that after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory.

In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products have been extensively used all over the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.

Research has shown that chrysotile is less prone to cause disease than amphibole asbestos like amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole asbestos kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicates found in certain types of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole, tremolite, anthophyllite and new Cumberland asbestos crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibres that range in length from very fine to wide and straight to curled. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder and are used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and baby powder.

The most extensive use of asbestos occurred in the early two-thirds of the 20th century when it was utilized in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed toxic talc or vermiculite and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to and geographic location.

Exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mainly caused by inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed through skin contact or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can only be found in the air due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials like ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches, and insulation.

There is growing evidence that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that do not have the tight woven fibrils of the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres can be found in the mountains, sandstones, and cliffs of many countries.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in a variety ways, including as airborne particles. It is also able to leach into soil or water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused anthropogenically, such as by the milling and mining of garden city asbestos lawsuit-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the removal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the primary cause of illness among people exposed to it in their occupation.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most popular way people are exposed dangerous fibres, which can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. The exposure to asbestos fibres could also take place in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The risks of exposure are heightened when crocidolite which is the blue form of asbestos, is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe in and can get deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos.

The main types are chrysotile as well as amosite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types are not as common, but may still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than chrysotile and amosite, but they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

Several studies have found an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. However the evidence is not conclusive. Some researchers have cited a SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.

IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all kinds of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of monee asbestos attorney can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, but the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used as well as the length of their exposure and the method by the way it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer from respiratory issues or mesothelioma, you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system, although some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals can be found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark and hard. Because of their similar hardness and colour, they can be difficult for some to differentiate from Pyroxenes. They also share a similar cut. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.

The five types of asbestos in the amphibole family include amosite, anthophyllite and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. While the most popular form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety is unique in its own way. The most harmful type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is composed primarily of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special methods. The most widely used methods of identifying amphiboles include EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only give approximate identifications. These methods, for instance, cannot distinguish between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. In addition, these techniques can not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.