The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

It is difficult to tell by taking a look at something if it is made up of asbestos. It is also impossible to smell or taste it. Asbestos can only be identified when the material containing it is broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 95% of the asbestos made. It was employed in a variety of industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. However, if workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic material, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became a problem asbestos use has been reduced significantly. However, trace amounts of it remain in many of the products we use in the present.

Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is in place. It has been found that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to those handling it. Inhaling airborne fibers is strongly linked to lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed both in terms of intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure.

One study that examined the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials, compared mortality rates at this factory with national mortality rates. The study found that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant increase in mortality rates in this factory.

Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They are able to penetrate the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.

It is very difficult for chrysotile fibers to be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used in many parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos, such as amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. These amphibole kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed with cement, a tough product is produced that can withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional, and then disposed of.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of fibrous silicate minerals that naturally occur in certain kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to wide. They can also be straight or curled. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc) or combined with other minerals to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively in consumer products such as baby powder cosmetics, and even face powder.

Asbestos was heavily used in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct construction of ships, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied according to the type of industry, the time period and geographical location.

Most asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed through contact with skin or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only present in the environment from the natural weathering of mined ore and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.

It is becoming evident that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't tightly woven like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine but are instead loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos attorney gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it also leaches into water and soil. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos law-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly a result of natural weathering, however it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping soils in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres remains the main reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lungs and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos fibers can also take place in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile which makes them more difficult to breathe in. They can also get deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four have not been as extensively used however they can be present in older buildings. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile but still be a danger when mixed with other minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc.

Numerous studies have shown an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence is not conclusive. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all types of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risks vary depending on the amount of exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best option for individuals is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. If you have been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma then you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needlelike crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually have a monoclinic structure in their crystals but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated from one another by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark and hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, Asbestos attorney they may be difficult for some people to differentiate from the pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. However, their chemistry allows for the use of a variety of compositions. The various mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five types of asbestos amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. Crocidolite is the most dangerous asbestos settlement kind. It contains sharp fibers that can easily be breathed into the lung. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are hard to analyze because they have complex chemical structures and numerous substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special techniques. The most common methods of identifying amphiboles include EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only give approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.