The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned, asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. Research shows that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.
It is impossible to determine if a product has asbestos just by looking at it and you won't be able to taste or smell it. It is only visible when materials containing asbestos are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 99percent of the asbestos that was produced. It was widely used in industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed to this harmful substance, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became a concern the use of asbestos has been reduced significantly. However, trace amounts remain in the products we use today.
Chrysotile can be used safely if a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. It has been found that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there isn't an unneeded risk to the people handling it. Inhaling airborne fibres has been linked with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been proven 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 Chrysotile for the production of friction materials and national death rates. The study found that after 40 years of manufacturing low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality rates in this factory.
Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other types of asbestos. They are able to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause health consequences than longer fibres.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are used in various parts of the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely than chrysotile to cause disease. Amphibole types like these are the primary cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it forms a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and then safely disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in certain types of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibres that range in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying edges called a fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals in order to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used in consumer products, including baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.
The largest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds of the twentieth century when it was utilized in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work were in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry industry, era to era and also from geographical location.
Most asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were caused by inhalation, however certain workers were exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is now only found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos such as insulation, car brakes, clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.
There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly knit like the fibrils found in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.
Asbestos can enter the environment in a variety of ways, including in the form of airborne particles. It can also leach out into water or soil. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is typically a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activities like mining and milling demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated dumping soils in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the most significant cause of disease among those exposed to asbestos during their occupation.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed to the dangerous fibres, which can then be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma as well as asbestosis and other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibers can occur in other ways, too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos types.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. north las vegas asbestos attorneys are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four types haven't been as widely used however they can be present in older buildings. They are less harmful than chrysotile and amosite, but they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have revealed that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent 95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, but the risks differ based on the amount of exposure people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos involved and the duration of their exposure, and the manner in the way it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has declared that the best option for people is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma or other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal structure however, 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 joined in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated from one another by octahedral sites in strips.
Amphiboles are present in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and are hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they could be difficult for some people to distinguish from the pyroxenes. They also have a comparable the cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a range of compositions. The various amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos kind. It has sharp fibers that are easily breathed into the lung. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is made up of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are a challenge to analyze because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.