The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was still used in a variety of commercial products. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

It is difficult to tell by looking at something if it is made of asbestos. Also, you cannot smell or taste it. It can only be found when the asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for 95% of the asbestos produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they are likely to develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Thankfully, the use of this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to grow in the 1960's. However, traces of it are still present 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 discovered that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to the people working with the substance. Inhaling airborne fibers is strongly linked to lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been proven to be true for both intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure.

One study that studied the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared mortality rates in this facility with national death rates. It was found that for 40 years of preparing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure there was no signifi cant extra mortality in the factory.

Unlike some other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues than fibres with longer lengths.

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

Research has proven that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos such as amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When cement and chrysotile mix and cured, a tough and flexible product is created that is able to stand up to extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres are easily removed by a professional and eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of fibrous silicate minerals that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine), 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 curled or straight. They are present in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. These are commonly used as consumer goods, like baby powder, cosmetics, and even face powder.

The greatest asbestos use was during the first two-thirds period of the 20th century where it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed vermiculite or talc that was contaminated and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied by the industry, time frame, and geographic location.

Asbestos exposure in the workplace is usually due to inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed through skin contact or asbestos attorney by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can only be found in the environment due to natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated like ceiling and floor tiles automobile brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

There is growing evidence that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres don't form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers are found in the cliffs, mountains and sandstones from a variety of nations.

Asbestos enters the environment mainly as airborne particles, but it also leaches into water and soil. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and disposal of Asbestos Attorney-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is largely associated with natural weathering. However, it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities like milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the primary cause of illness among people exposed to it in their job.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lung and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to the fibres can occur in different ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are greater when crocidolite (the asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile which makes them more difficult to inhale. They also can get deeper into lung tissues. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The main types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. The most well-known forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as widely utilized, but they may still be found in older buildings. They are less hazardous than amosite or chrysotile however they could still be a danger when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits such as vermiculite and talc.

A number of studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. 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, whereas others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however the risks differ based on the amount of exposure, what type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that avoid all forms of asbestos should be the highest priority since this is the most secure option for people. If you have been exposed to asbestos and suffer from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma, you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles comprise a variety of minerals that can form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are an inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually possess a monoclinic crystal system however, some have 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 series of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral site.

Amphibole minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding the cleavage pattern. However their chemistry allows many different compositions. The various mineral groups within amphibole are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five asbestos types amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own unique properties. Crocidolite is among the most dangerous asbestos kind. It is composed of sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is made up of iron and magnesium. The variety was used previously in products like cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. For example, these techniques are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.