The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned, asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.
It is not possible to tell by simply looking at something if it contains asbestos. Neither can you taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be identified when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 90% of the asbestos produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to the toxic material, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still present in many products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at current controlled exposure levels. The inhalation of airborne fibres is strongly linked to lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.
One study that examined a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. It was concluded that for 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure there was no signifi cant excess mortality in this factory.
Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues than fibres with longer lengths.
When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to be airborne and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are extensively used all over the world, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.
Studies have shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, such as amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile and cement are mixed and cured, a tough, flexible product is created which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and safely eliminated.
Amosite
Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates that are found in various types of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).
Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibres that vary in length from extremely fine to broad and straight to curled. These fibers are found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, and face powder.
The largest asbestos use was during the early 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 were in the air, however some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to, and geographical location.
Exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mostly due to inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed via skin contact or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is only present in the environment due to the natural weathering of mined ore and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't weaved like the fibrils that are found in amphibole and serpentine, they are loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. They can be found in the mountains, sandstones, and cliffs from a variety of nations.
Asbestos can be found in the environment as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activity, for instance through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the removal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the most significant cause of disease among those exposed to it in their work.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibres can occur in a variety of ways like contact with contaminated clothing or 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 more easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos types.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. The most common asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four forms haven't been as extensively used, but they may still be found in older buildings. They are not as hazardous as chrysotile and amosite, but they may pose a danger when combined with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have proven the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't unanimous. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent 95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.
shreveport asbestos law firm , which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all types of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however the risks differ based on the amount of exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that avoiding all forms of asbestos should be the top priority, as this is the safest option for individuals. If you've been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma then you should talk to your doctor or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually 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 that are linked in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphiboles are found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark-colored and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. Their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. The most widely used asbestos type is chrysotile. Each variety has its own distinct characteristics. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite, is made up of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is made up of iron and magnesium. It was previously used in cement-based products and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are a challenge to analyze due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most widely used methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.