The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.
It is difficult to tell if something is asbestos-containing by looking at it and you can't taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detectable when the substances that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 99% of the asbestos made. It was used in many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to grow in the 1960's. It is still found in many products we use today.
Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner when a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at the present limit of exposure. Inhaling airborne fibres has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven both for intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.
In one study mortality rates were compared between a factory that primarily used chrysotile in the manufacture of 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 increase in mortality in this particular factory.
Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more prone to causing health consequences than longer fibres.
When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe particularly in structures like hospitals and
asbestos attorney schools.
Research has revealed that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, like crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole kinds have been the main source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When cement and chrysotile mix, a durable product is produced that can withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and safely disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It consists of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals are made up of thin, long fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. These fibers are found in nature as individual fibrils or as bundles with splaying ends called a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals can also be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder and are used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
The heaviest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds of twentieth century where it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were airborne
asbestos attorney fibres, but some workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied according to the industry, time frame and geographical location.
Most asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were because of inhalation, but certain workers were exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can only be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles automobile brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.
It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly woven like the fibrils found in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the cliffs and mountains in a variety of countries.
Asbestos enters the environment mainly in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into water and soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites).
Asbestos contamination in surface and ground waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it is also caused by human activity, for instance through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the main cause of illness among people exposed to it in their work.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed to the harmful fibres. They can then enter the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can also take place in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are higher when crocidolite (the asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers, which are easier to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos.
The six main types are chrysotile and amosite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most commonly used types of asbestos and account for 95% of all commercial asbestos that is used. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as extensively used however they can be found in older buildings. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile but still pose a threat when combined with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits such as vermiculite and talc.
Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent range of CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for
asbestos attorney Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types 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 recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority because this is the safest option for individuals. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma, then you should see your physician or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system however, some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated from one another by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips.
Amphiboles are present in metamorphic and igneous rock.