The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

It is not possible to tell by simply taking a look at something if it is made up of asbestos. Also, you cannot smell or taste it. It can only be found when asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up for 90% of the asbestos that was produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries including construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they may develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Thankfully, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still present in many products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. It has been found that at the current controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to those handling the substance. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma were all connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed for the intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.

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

Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other types of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than fibres with longer lengths.

It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres to be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world particularly in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has shown that amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. These amphibole varieties are the main cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed and cured, a tough and flexible material is created that is able to stand up to extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely remove asbestos fibres once they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos is a term used to describe a class of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that are found naturally in specific types of rock formations. It is classified into six groups which include amphibole (serpentine), the tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can also be straight or curled. These fibers are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to create talcum powder or asbestos attorney vermiculite. These are commonly used in consumer products, such as baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.

Asbestos was widely used during the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct construction of ships insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos attorney (click through the following page) fibres were in the air, but some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time period and geographical location.

The exposure to asbestos at work is mostly because of inhalation. However, some workers have been exposed through skin contact or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can only be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

It is becoming clear that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly knit like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine, they are loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in a variety ways, including as airborne particles. It can also be released into soil or water. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in surface and ground 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 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 asbestos in their occupation.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed dangerous fibres, which can then be inhaled and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibers can also take place in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite which is the asbestos in the blue form, is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile which makes them more difficult to breathe. They can also lodge deeper within lung tissues. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six primary types are chrysotile as well as amosite. The most popular asbestos types are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos compensation employed. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as extensively used, but they may still be found in older buildings. They are less hazardous than chrysotile or amosite but can still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite.

Numerous studies have proven that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all kinds of asbestos carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other health issues, however the risks differ based on how much exposure individuals 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 consumed. The IARC has recommended that abstaining from all asbestos forms should be the highest priority as it is the most secure option for those who are exposed. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a condition such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can form prism-like and needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic arrangement of crystals, however certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains consist of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from each other with octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are common in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark-colored and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and color. They also share a similar cleavage. Their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five asbestos types amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each type of asbestos comes with its own distinctive properties. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is composed of iron and magnesium. It was previously used in cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles can be difficult to study because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.