The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned, asbestos was still used in a variety of commercial products. According research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer, as well as other health problems.
It is impossible to determine if a product is asbestos-containing by looking at it and you won't be able to smell or taste it. It is only discovered when asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At the height of its use, chrysotile made the majority of asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. However, if workers were exposed to this toxic material, they may develop mesothelioma or other
asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, traces of it are still present in many of the products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. It has been found that at the present exposure levels, there is no danger to the people handling the substance. The inhalation of airborne fibres has been linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven both in terms of intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a manufacturing facility that primarily used Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and the national death rate. It was found that for 40 years of preparing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure, there was no significant extra mortality in the factory.
Chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause ill-health effects than longer fibres.
When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and pose health risks. Fibre cement products have been extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools.
Research has shown that amphibole asbestos like crocidolite or amosite is less likely than chrysotile to cause disease. These amphibole varieties are the primary source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it creates a strong, flexible construction product that is able to withstand severe conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional and then safely taken away.
Amosite
Asbestos is a term used to describe a class of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups including amphibole (serpentine), tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibres that range in length from very fine to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can be 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, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
The heaviest use of
Asbestos Attorney was in the first two-thirds of the 20th century in the period when it was employed in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era era and even geographical location.
Asbestos exposure in the workplace is usually caused by inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed by contact with their skin or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos is only found in the environment due to natural weathering and degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.
It is becoming clear that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that do not form the tightly woven fibrils of the amphibole or serpentine minerals but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs from a variety of countries.
Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety of ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it can also be caused by humans, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos at work.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can infiltrate the lung and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibres can occur in other ways as well including contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, the blue form of asbestos, is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to inhale and can lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma-related cases than any other form of asbestos.
The six major types are chrysotile and amosite. Amosite and chrysotile are the most commonly used forms of asbestos, and comprise 95 percent of all asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four forms haven't been as extensively used however they can be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, however they may pose a danger when combined with other asbestos minerals or mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc.
Several studies have found an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. The evidence is contradictory. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in mines and chrysotile mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however the risks differ based on how much exposure, what type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that abstaining from all asbestos forms is the best option as it is the most secure option for those who are exposed. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a condition such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral that is composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They are a monoclinic system of crystals, but some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2.