The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was widely used in commercial products. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.
You cannot tell if something includes asbestos simply by looking at it and you can't smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detectable when the materials that contain it are broken or drilled.
Chrysotile
At the height of its use, chrysotile made the majority of the asbestos produced. It was used by many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they are likely to develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Thankfully, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to increase in the 1960's. However, trace amounts are still present in products that we use today.
Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner if a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. It has been discovered that at the present exposure levels, there isn't an danger to the people who handle it. The inhalation of airborne particles has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.
A study that looked at a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials compared mortality rates at this factory with national mortality rates. It was concluded that for 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure there was no significant additional mortality in this factory.
As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more prone to causing health effects than fibres with longer lengths.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools.
Research has proven that chrysotile is less prone to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole types are the primary source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand harsh conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also very easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It is divided into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibres that vary in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to make vermiculite or talcum powder. They are used extensively in consumer products such as baby powder cosmetics and face powder.
The greatest use of asbestos occurred in the first two-thirds of twentieth century where it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres borne by air, but certain workers were exposed to vermiculite or talc that was contaminated, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to, and geographical location.
Most of the asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation. However, some workers were also exposed through skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is only found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials like ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches as well as insulation.
There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that do not form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However maine asbestos attorney can also be caused by human activity, for instance by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness among people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed harmful fibres that can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways too like contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This kind of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile making them more palatable to breathe in. They also can get deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other asbestos types.
The six main types are chrysotile as well as amosite. The most popular forms of asbestos are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile. However, they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have revealed the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence isn't conclusive. 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 have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however, the risk is dependent on how much exposure, the type of asbestos is involved and how long exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from an illness, such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory conditions it is recommended that they seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prism or needlelike crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic structure in their crystals, although 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 sites.
Amphibole minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark and hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding design of cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for the use of a variety of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most commonly used asbestos type is chrysotile, each variety has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that are easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish hue and is comprised primarily of magnesium and iron. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals are challenging to analyze due to their an intricate chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special techniques. The most commonly used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also cannot distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.