The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.

It is not possible to tell by simply looking at something if it's made of asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detected when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 90% of the asbestos created. It was widely used in industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers were exposed to this harmful material, they may develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to grow in the 1960's. It is still present in a variety of products we use today.

Chrysotile can be used safely when a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. It has been determined that at the current controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to those who handle it. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma were all linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.

A study that looked at an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials compared mortality rates at this factory with national death rates. It was found that for the 40 years of processing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure there was no signifi cant additional mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other types of asbestos. They are able to enter the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than fibres with longer lengths.

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

Research has revealed that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole types like these are the main source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand harsh 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 one of the groups of fibrous silicates that are found in various types of rock formations. It consists of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibres that range in length from extremely thin to broad and straight to curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to create vermiculite or talcum powder. They are extensively used as consumer goods, including baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.

The heaviest use of asbestos was in the early two-thirds of the 20th century, when it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace were in the air, but some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry industry, era era and also from geographical location.

The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mostly because of inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed by contact with their skin or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can only be found in the environment because of natural weathering and the degradation of contaminated products, such as ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.

It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that do not form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries.

Asbestos is absorbed into the environment mostly as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in ground and surface water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by anthropogeny, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres is still the primary reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can enter the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to fibres can occur in a variety of ways, for example, contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This type of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are softer and less brittle, making them easier to inhale. They also can get deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma cases than other types of asbestos.

The six primary kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most well-known forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four types haven't been as widely used however, they could be present in older buildings. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a risk when combined with other minerals or when mined close to other mineral deposits like vermiculite and talc.

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence is not conclusive. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Vimeo Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, although the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure that individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos used as well as the length of their exposure and Vimeo the way in the way it is inhaled or ingested. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types is the most important thing to do, as this is the most secure option for individuals. If you've been exposed in the past to columbiana asbestos lawyer and suffer from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma, you should see your physician or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually possess a monoclinic crystal system however some may have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 tetrahedrons that are linked in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated from each other with octahedral strips.

Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark-colored and tough. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also share a corresponding the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry allows for a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most frequently used asbestos type is chrysotile. Each variety has its own distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is the most dangerous asbestos kind. It is made up of sharp fibers that can easily be breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish hue and Vimeo is comprised primarily of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in products such as cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.