The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According to studies, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and many other health problems.

You can't tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it and you are unable to smell or taste it. Asbestos can only be identified when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for 95% of the asbestos produced. It was used by many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma was first becoming a major concern, the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. However, trace amounts are still found in many of the products we use today.

Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been determined that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers working with the substance. Inhaling airborne fibers has been strongly associated with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed in terms of intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure.

A study that looked at a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials, compared mortality rates in this facility with national mortality rates. The study found that after 40 years of processing at low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality at this factory.

As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.

Studies have shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole types like these are the primary 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 stand up to extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and then safely disposed of.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of fibrous silicate minerals which are found naturally in a variety of types of rock formations. It consists of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).

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

Asbestos was used extensively in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, but certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to and even geographical location.

Most occupational exposures to Asbestos Attorney were because of inhalation, but certain workers were exposed via skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only present in the air due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

It is becoming evident that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that do not have the tight knit fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains in a variety of countries.

Asbestos may enter the environment in a variety ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This is a result of both natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by human activity, for instance through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness for people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung and cause serious health problems. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways too, for example, contact with contaminated clothing or 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 inhale. They can also be lodged deeper into lung tissues. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma-related cases than any other form of asbestos.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, Asbestos Attorney epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and account for 95% of asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four asbestos types aren't as widespread, but they can still be found in older structures. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, however they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite.

Numerous studies have revealed an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos while other studies have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all kinds of asbestos legal carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos may cause mesothelioma as well as other health problems, but the risks are different based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos used and the duration of their exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or ingested. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos is the most important thing to do, as this is the most secure option for those who are exposed. If you've been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory condition or mesothelioma condition, then you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral made up of two 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. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated each other by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips.

Amphiboles are found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and hard. Because of their similar hardness and color, they can be difficult for some people to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also have a comparable Cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for a wide range of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile, crocidolite, and actinolite. While the most commonly used form of asbestos is chrysotile; each is unique in its own way. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in cement-based products and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are hard to study because of their an intricate chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods can only give approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.