The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is impossible to tell just by looking at something whether it is made up of asbestos. Neither can you taste or smell it. It is only found when materials containing asbestos are drilled, chipped or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made the majority of the asbestos produced. It was employed in many industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. If workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could contract mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Thankfully, the use of this toxic mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. It is still present in a variety of products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. It has been proven that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers handling the substance. Inhaling airborne fibres has been strongly associated with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed for the intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared among a factory that used a large proportion of chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. It was discovered that, for 40 years of preparing 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 are able to penetrate the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause health effects than longer fibres.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products have been used extensively throughout the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.
Research has proven that amphibole asbestos, such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When the cement and chrysotile are combined 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 up after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates that are found in various types of rock formations. It is divided into six groups including amphibole (serpentine), tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that range in length, ranging from very fine to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to create vermiculite or talcum powder. They are extensively used as consumer products, like baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.
Asbestos was used extensively in the early two-thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing, insulation and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures involved asbestos fibres borne by air, but certain workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied by the type of industry, the time period and geographic location.
Most of the asbestos exposures at work were because of inhalation, but certain workers were exposed through skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only present in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and the degrading of contaminated materials such as insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't tightly weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. They can be found in cliffs, mountains and sandstones of a variety of countries.
Asbestos is able to enter the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of
asbestos compensation-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). 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-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the primary cause of disease among those exposed to
Asbestos Attorney in their job.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can infiltrate the lung and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can also take place in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe in and may lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other types of asbestos.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite, and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used types of asbestos and account for 95 percent of all commercial asbestos in use. The other four forms haven't been as popularly used, but they may still be present in older buildings. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a risk when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits such as vermiculite and talc.
Numerous studies have proven an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% range of CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.
IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms 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 exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that abstaining from all asbestos forms should be the highest priority because this is the most safe option for those who are exposed. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from an illness, such as mesothelioma or other respiratory ailments They should seek advice from their doctor or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles comprise a variety of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system however some may have 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 that are linked in rings of six.