The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was widely used in commercial products. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
You can't tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it, and you cannot smell or taste it. It is only found in the event that asbestos-containing products are drilled, chipped or broken.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile provided for 99% of the asbestos that was produced. It was used by many 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. Fortunately, the use of this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, it is still present in trace amounts. remain in many of the products we use today.
Chrysotile can be safely used with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is put into place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at the current limits of exposure. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed both in terms of intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a factory which used almost exclusively chlorosotile to make friction materials and the national death rate. 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.
Unlike some other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative consequences than longer fibres.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. The fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools.
Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos, such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely to cause disease. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that is able to withstand severe conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional, and then eliminated.
Amosite
Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It is classified into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibers that range in length from extremely thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc), or
asbestos Attorney mixed with other minerals in order to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used in consumer products, like baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.
Asbestos was used extensively in the first two thirds of the 20th century for construction of ships insulation, fireproofing, insulation and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres borne by air, but certain workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era to, and geographical location.
Most of the asbestos exposures at work were due to inhalation. However, some workers were also exposed through skin contact or by eating food contaminated with Asbestos Attorney -
Http://0522565551.Ussoft.Kr/G5-5.0.13/Bbs/Board.Php?Bo_Table=Board_5552&Wr_Id=2174667,. Asbestos can only be found in the air due to natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated like ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches as well as insulation.
There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres are not the tightly knit fibrils of the amphibole or serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains from a variety of countries.
Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also leach out into water or soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily caused by natural weathering. However it can also be caused anthropogenically, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibers is the primary reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed to harmful fibres that can then get into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. The exposure to asbestos fibres could be triggered in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The risks of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, a asbestos that is blue is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile which makes them more difficult to inhale. They can also be lodged deeper within lung tissues. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other asbestos types.
The main types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. The most common asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four
asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less harmful than chrysotile and amosite, but they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have shown an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is not conclusive. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% 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 asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however, the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority as it is the safest option for individuals. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory conditions it is recommended that they seek advice from their doctor or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral made up of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They have 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.