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 as well as other health issues.

You cannot tell by just taking a look at something if it's made of asbestos. It is also impossible to smell or taste it. Asbestos can only be identified when materials containing it are broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 90% of the asbestos created. It was utilized in a variety of industries like construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they are likely to develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still found in a variety of products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. It has been discovered that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there is no unneeded risk to the people working with the substance. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.

One study that looked into the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. It was found that for the 40 years of processing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure there was no significant increase in mortality in this particular factory.

Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be smaller. They are able to penetrate the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used all over the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.

Research has revealed that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole types are the main cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed with cement, a tough 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 remove asbestos fibres once they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicates that are found in certain types rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibres that vary in length from very thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can be found as a powder (talc) or asbestos mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite that are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder, face powder and cosmetics.

Asbestos was widely used during the first two thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing, insulation and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace occurred in the air, however certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to and geographic location.

Asbestos exposure in the workplace is mostly caused by inhalation. However, some workers have been exposed via skin contact or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can only be found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degradation of contaminated products, such as ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly weaved like the fibrils in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos can be found in the environment in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into water and soil. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos claim-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily caused through natural weathering. However, it has also been caused anthropogenically, such as through milling and mining of asbestos lawsuit-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibers is the primary cause of illness for people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs, causing serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other diseases can be caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos fibres could be experienced in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are heightened when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers, which are easier to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other asbestos types.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most popular forms of asbestos are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as widely utilized but they can be present in older buildings. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, however they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence is not conclusive. Some 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 mines and asbestos chrysotile mills.

IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all types of asbestos as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other health problems, but the risks are different based on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved, the duration of their exposure and the manner in the way it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a condition such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments They should seek advice from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needlelike crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They are a monoclinic system of crystals, but some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated from one another with octahedral strips.

Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and tough. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar cleavage. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the various mineral groups in amphibole could be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most commonly used form of asbestos is chrysotile. Each variety has its own distinct characteristics. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized techniques. The most commonly used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also cannot differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.