The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products before it was banned. According research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer, as well as other health problems.

You can't tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it and you can't taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detected when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its height, encoskr.com chrysotile was responsible for 95% of the asbestos produced. It was widely used in industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to this toxic material, they could contract mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Thankfully, the use this harmful mineral has diminished dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to grow in the 1960's. 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 determined that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there isn't an undue risk to the workers handling the substance. The inhalation of airborne particles is strongly linked to lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and time of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a facility which used almost exclusively chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. It was discovered that, for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure There was no significant excess mortality in this factory.

Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can penetrate the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause ill-health effects than fibres with longer lengths.

When chrysotile mixes with cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos like amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. These amphibole varieties are the primary cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When the cement and chrysotile are combined, a durable and flexible material is created that is able to stand up to extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely get rid of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of fibrous silicate minerals that naturally occur in certain types of rock formations. It is divided into six groups including amphibole (serpentine), the tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

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

Asbestos was used extensively in the first two thirds of the 20th century to construct construction of ships insulation, fireproofing, insulation and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace were in the air, however certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time period and geographic location.

The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mainly caused by inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed through skin contact or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos can only be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches, and insulation.

It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly weaved like the fibrils that are found in serpentine and amphibole, they are loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers are found in the cliffs and mountains from a variety of countries.

Asbestos gets into the environment primarily in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into soil and water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is typically a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogenic activities like mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of woodway asbestos lawsuit-containing materials as well as the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres is still the primary cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos at work.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent way people are exposed to harmful fibres that can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma as well as asbestosis and other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos fibres can be experienced in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are higher when crocidolite which is the canyon asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most commonly used forms of asbestos. They comprise 95% of all commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types are not as widespread, but they can still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile, but they may pose a danger when combined with other asbestos minerals or mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.

Numerous studies have shown that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all kinds of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risk is different based on the amount of exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved, and how long exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority, as this is the safest option for individuals. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory conditions, they should seek guidance from their GP or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system, although some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons, which are connected in rings of six. The tetrahedrons can be separated from one another with octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are prevalent in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark-colored and hard. Due to their similarity in strength and color, they may be difficult for some people to differentiate from the pyroxenes. They also have a similar cut. However their chemistry permits an array of compositions. The different amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

The five types of asbestos in the amphibole family include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. Each type of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite is a brownish to yellowish hue and is comprised primarily of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are hard to analyze because they have an intricate chemical structure and a variety of substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.