Types of Asbestos
All six types of amorphous asbestos are found in nature as bundles of fine and durable fibres. They are resistant to fire, heat chemicals, electrical conductivity and chemical vapors. They have a high tensile strength and wear strength. Asbestos is a component in many products, including floor tiles and insulation, paint, and heat-resistant fabrics.
Chrysotile
Before it was banned in the year 1980, Chrysotile (also called white asbestos) was the most widely used form of the mineral. It was utilized because it was fireproof, cheap and durable. It was found to be extremely harmful and linked to cancers like mesothelioma. Certain countries continue to use asbestos, but a worldwide ban is required.
Health care professionals continue to warn that asbestos in all forms, including chrysotile, is carcinogenic, and no amount of exposure can be considered to be safe. Companies who mine and sell
asbestos claim that chrysotile is safer than older forms of the mineral, because it's tightly packaged and non-friable.
Although this type of asbestos is less harmful than amphibole asbestos but it is still a risk to handle. Chrysotile is the most commonly mined asbestos, and it is the one responsible for the majority of mesothelioma cases around the world. Chrysotile which is a brownish golden mineral that feels soft and looks like threads is a fibrous mineral. In an electron microscope, the fibres appear more like tubes. They are actually a mixture of structural layers of minerals that are rolled into spiral form.
Chrysotile has been proven to cause a range of ailments that include pleural mesothelioma lung cancer and respiratory issues of other kinds. It has also been linked to gastrointestinal problems and cardiovascular disease. People who work with chrysotile, are particularly at risk for developing these ailments because they are exposed to the mineral. Asbestos was once widely used in auto and construction repair. It can be found in older vehicles and homes.
Amosite
There are six types of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that have been used in asbestos. Each mineral has its own chemical composition and physical properties. However they are all linked to an increased risk of mesothelioma. They include the amphibole and serpentine minerals chrysotile (white asbestos) as well as crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, and tremolite.
Chrysotile is the most popular type of asbestos in the United States. It is still found today in the roofs, walls and floors of many commercial and residential properties. It was also used for gaskets, thermal insulation, and boiler seals in automobiles. Other asbestos products that contain Chrysotile are cement sheets, shingles and pipe insulation.
All forms of asbestos are dangerous when inhaled. Inhaling any form of asbestos can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and other disorders of the pleura. The exposure to asbestos is most often caused by breathing, but can also be caused by handling or working with fibres. The risk of exposure is particularly high if the materials are friable which means they break easily and are then able to airborne as dust particles.
Friability is a function of the length and the thickness of the fibers. Thicker and longer fibers are more likely than thinner and shorter ones to penetrate into the lungs.
The most common way to expose workers to asbestos is by manipulating or removing it. Asbestos is a fine crystallized material that releases dust into the air when crushed or sanded. When asbestos is swept or vacuumed it can release tiny fibres into the air. This is because a sweeping process could cause the fibres to break apart when vacuuming them, while causing them to stick to other surfaces.
Crocidolite
Amphibole asbestos, unlike serpentine asbestos (chrysotile), has long straight fibres which are tough and brittle. They are also more dangerous to breathe in. Crocidolite amosite, tremolite and Crocidolite are the most common forms of amphibole. Other forms include actinolite or anthophyllite. These kinds of asbestos can be found in natural deposits along with Chrysotile. Other asbestos minerals could be contaminants in crocidolite, and mixed with chrysotile within the deposit.
Asbestos can be found in a variety products, including asbestos cement pipe sheets, sheets, friction materials used in car brakes, coatings, and gaskets. The fibres are made into fabric, paper, thread, mastics, or bound by Portland cement, resins or plastics. The length and size of the fibres determine the most appropriate application. The shorter fibres are usually employed in electrical insulation, textiles and filters. The longer fibres are used in asbestos cement pipes, sheets and flooring.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that asbestos exposure is linked to and stomach cancer. The results of these studies are varied, but the conclusions aren't as conclusive because of the absence of literature. The risk of developing stomach cancer appears to increase with increasing exposure to asbestos. The risk is decreased when the time from the initial exposure is taken into consideration.
Other forms of asbestos are involved in the development mesothelioma (a malignant tumour affecting the abdomen's lining and chest). Children who have been exposed to asbestos are more likely to develop mesothelioma. The reasons are unknown.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is among the most prevalent ailments caused by asbestos. It is caused by exposure to asbestos over a prolonged period of time and is more serious than any other asbestos-related illness. It affects the lungs, and occasionally other organs like the stomach, the heart, and bladder. It can also cause mesothelioma - a rare cancer that affects lung the lining.
Asbestos is a class of six naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals. It can be found in many different products. It was previously extensively used in construction, but is now banned due to its negative effects.
Most people do not get sick from a low amount of asbestos in the air. The people who do fall ill are usually exposed to asbestos on a regular basis during a specific job and for a long amount of time. The most frequent jobs that require asbestos are shipbuilding, mining and construction. In recent years, government regulations have helped limit the use of asbestos and it is now used in fewer structures. It is still in some older household items, like crayons and toys for children.
All types of asbestos are carcinogenic and can cause lung ailments such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and other diseases. Chrysotile asbestos is the most well-known kind of asbestos. Other types of asbestos are amphibole and crocidolite.
When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, they release microscopic fibers that become airborne and are inhaled. These fibres can get trapped in the lungs when inhaled. The asbestos fibres may cause inflammation and scarring of the lung. This could lead to mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other conditions that take many years to develop. Other factors that increase the risk of developing an
asbestos litigation-related illness include smoking and having a family history of the disease.
Mesothelioma
When asbestos is used to manufacture insulation, or for the construction and renovation of homes, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. These fibers may be inhaled or swallowed and can trigger serious health problems like mesothelioma.
The mesothelium is the lining which protects organs. Mesothelioma usually affects the lung lining (pleural mesothelioma) and abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). In some cases, it could also be found on the linings of the heart or testicles.
Asbestos sufferers are more likely to develop mesothelioma as consequence of exposure to asbestos at work.