The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According to studies, 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 is made of asbestos. Neither can you smell or taste it. It is only discovered when asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up for 99% of the asbestos that was produced. It was widely used in industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful substance, they could develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma was first becoming a problem the use of asbestos has declined significantly. It is still found in many of the products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use when you have a thorough safety and handling plan in place. It has been proven that, at the present controlled exposure levels, asbestos there isn't an unneeded risk to the people working with it. Inhaling airborne fibres has been linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure.

One study that examined a factory that used almost all chrysotile as its friction materials, compared the mortality rates of this factory with national death rates. The study found that after 40 years of manufacturing low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.

As opposed 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 longer fibres.

When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world particularly in buildings like hospitals and schools.

Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix together, a strong and flexible product is created that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely get rid of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of silicate mineral fibrous which are found naturally in a variety of kinds of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

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

The greatest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds period of the 20th century where it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres were in the air, however some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time and geographic location.

Most of the asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed through skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is currently only found in the the natural weathering of mined ore and asbestos the degradation of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.

There is evidence to suggest that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't knit like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibres can be found in mountains, sandstones, and cliffs from a variety of nations.

Asbestos enters the environment mainly in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into soil and water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily due to 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 asbestos fibers is the primary cause of illness among people exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung which can cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. The exposure to asbestos fibres could occur in different ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, a asbestos in the blue form is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are more easy to inhale and can lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos case.

The six major types are chrysotile and amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and account for 95% of the commercial asbestos that is used. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals or mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.

A number of studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have cited an 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 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all types of asbestos as carcinogenic. All forms of asbestos could cause mesothelioma and other health issues, however the risks are different based on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos involved, the duration of their exposure and the manner in the way it is inhaled or ingested. The IARC has advised that avoiding all forms of asbestos is the best option as it is the best option for people. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a disease such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory illnesses They should seek advice from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals that can form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons may be separated by octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark-colored and are hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also have a similar cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for many different compositions. The different mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

The five types of asbestos belonging to the amphibole family are chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each type of asbestos has its own distinct properties. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is composed of iron and magnesium. This variety was once used in products like cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are challenging to analyze because they have a complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. In addition, these techniques can not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.