The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.

You cannot tell by just looking at something whether it is made up of asbestos. It is also impossible to taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detectable when materials containing it are broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up for 99percent of the asbestos that was produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers were exposed to the toxic material, they could contract mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma was first becoming a major concern the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. It is still found 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 discovered that at the current controlled exposure levels, there is no unneeded risk to the people who handle the substance. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure.

In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and the national death rate. It was found that for the 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure there was no significant excess mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other types of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs, and then pass through the bloodstream. This makes them much more prone to causing health effects than fibrils with a longer length.

When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and pose any health risks. The fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe particularly in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has proven that amphibole asbestos, like amosite or crocidolite is less likely to cause diseases. Amphibole types like these are the main source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed and cured, a tough product is produced that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and safely disposed of.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that naturally occur in certain types of rock formations. It is classified into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can also be curled or straight. These fibers are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals can be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder and are used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder, and baby powder.

The most extensive use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of the 20th century when it was utilized in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres occurred in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by the type of industry, the time period and geographic location.

Most of the asbestos exposures at work were due to inhalation, but certain workers were exposed via skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment from the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.

There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that do not have the tight interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers are found in mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones in a variety of countries.

Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, including in the form of airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This is a result of both natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it is also caused anthropogenically, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos case-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness among people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs which can cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestos attorney asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways, including contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. This kind of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos attorney (homesite).

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and make up 95% of commercial asbestos in use. The other four asbestos types are not as common, but may still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, however they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mills and mines.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos case types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risk is different based on how much exposure, what kind of asbestos legal is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that avoiding all forms of asbestos is the best option, as this is the most safe option for people. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma condition, then you should talk to your doctor or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral that is composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains consist of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons that are joined in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated from each other by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphibole minerals are common in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and color. They also have a comparable the cleavage. Their chemistry permits a wide variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various minerals in amphibole can be used to identify them.

The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include amosite, anthophyllite as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each type of asbestos comes with its own distinct properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are difficult to analyze because they have a a complicated chemical structure and a variety of substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. The most common methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. In addition, these techniques can not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.