The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. According to studies, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.

You cannot tell if something is asbestos-containing simply by looking at it and you can't smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detectable when the substances that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile comprised the majority of asbestos production. It was employed in many industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, 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 in the present.

Chrysotile can be safely used in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. It has been determined that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no unneeded risk to the people who handle the substance. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven both for intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.

One study that studied a factory that used almost all chrysotile as its friction materials, compared mortality rates in this facility with national mortality rates. The study found that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality at this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other types of asbestos. 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 is mixed into cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to become airborne and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos like crocidolite or amosite is less likely to cause disease. These amphibole types are the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is combined with cement, it forms a tough, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely remove asbestos fibres once they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in a variety of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals comprise thin, long fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can also be straight or curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils or as bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively as consumer goods, like baby powder, cosmetics, and even face powder.

Asbestos was heavily used in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct construction of ships insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time period, and geographic location.

Most of the occupational exposures to asbestos were due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. lebanon asbestos lawyer is only present in the natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches, as well as floor and ceiling tiles.

It is becoming clear that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't tightly weaved like the fibrils that are found in amphibole or serpentine, but are instead loose elastic, flexible, and vimeo needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries.

Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it also leaches into soil and water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly a result of natural weathering, but has also been caused by human activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials, and the removal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the most significant cause of illness among people exposed to asbestos during their work.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can infiltrate the lung, causing serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can be experienced in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite (the asbestos that is blue is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile making them more palatable to inhale. They also can get deeper in lung tissues. It has been linked to a higher number of mesothelioma related cases than any other form of asbestos.

The main types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. Chrysotile and amosite are among the most frequently used types of asbestos. They comprise 95% of commercial asbestos currently used. The other four forms haven't been as widely used however they can be found in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.

Numerous studies have revealed an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence isn't conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent C.I. 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all types of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, but the risks vary according to how much exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used and vimeo the duration of their exposure and the method by the way it is inhaled or ingested. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types is the best option as it is the most safe option for people. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a disease such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is a class of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, however 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, which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another with octahedral strips.

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

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five asbestos types amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile; each is unique in its own way. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are simple to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in products such as cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are hard to study because of their complex chemical structures and numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.