The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer as well as other health problems.
It is not possible to tell by simply looking at a thing if it is made of asbestos. You cannot taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detectable when materials containing it are broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 99percent of the asbestos created. It was utilized in a variety of industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could contract mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Thankfully, the use of this toxic mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still found in many of the products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use in the event that you have a complete safety and handling program in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to a significant amount of risk at current limit of exposure. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma are all linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed in terms of intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a factory that used a large proportion of Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and national death rates. It was concluded that for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure There was no significant excess mortality in this factory.
In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.
When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are widely used in a variety of locations around the world, including schools and hospitals.
Research has shown that chrysotile is less prone to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, such as crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and then safely removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in a variety of rock formations. It is divided into six groups including amphibole (serpentine), tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. These fibres are found in nature as individual fibrils or as bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals can be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder that are widely used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
The greatest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds of the 20th century where it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed vermiculite or talc that was contaminated, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied by industry, time, and geographic location.
Exposure to asbestos at work is mostly caused by inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed through contact with skin or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos can be found in the natural weathering of mined ores and the degradation of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
It is becoming evident that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that do not have the tight woven fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries.
Asbestos can be found in the environment as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. orem asbestos attorneys is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in ground and surface water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Exposure to asbestos-containing airborne fibres is the most common cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed harmful fibres, which could then enter the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos can happen in a variety of ways like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, a asbestos in the blue form, is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe and can be lodged deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cases than any other form of asbestos.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most commonly used asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be found in older structures. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile, however they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals or mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have proven an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is not conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent of the 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 forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risks vary depending on the amount of exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best choice for people is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases, they should seek guidance from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a class of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral made up of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, 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 which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphiboles are found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and color. They also share a corresponding design of cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for an array of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various minerals in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five asbestos types amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite, is made up of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish color and is composed mostly of iron and magnesium. This type of stone was once used in cement-based products and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals are difficult to analyze due to their an intricate chemical structure and many substitutions. A thorough analysis of composition of amphibole minerals requires special methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most widely used methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance, cannot distinguish between magnesio-hornblende and hastingsite. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.