The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and many other health issues.
It is difficult to tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it and you won't be able to taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be identified when the material containing it is broken or drilled.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made up for 95% of the asbestos made. It was utilized in a variety of industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became a problem asbestos use has been drastically reduced. However, trace amounts of it are still found in products that we use in the present.
Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at the current safe exposure levels. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.
One study that looked into a factory that used almost all chrysotile as its friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. It was found that over the course of 40 years, processing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure There was no significant extra mortality in the factory.
Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative consequences than longer fibres.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has shown that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos like crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole asbestos kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related illnesses. When cement and chrysotile are mixed with cement, a tough, flexible product is created that is able to stand up to extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely get rid of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates that are found in certain types rock formations. It consists of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to wide. They can be curled or straight. These fibers are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to form talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively as consumer goods, such as baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.
The largest asbestos use was during the first two-thirds period of the 20th century in the period when it was employed in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres were in the air, however some workers also were exposed to
asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by industry, time and geographical location.
Most of the asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation. However, certain workers were exposed through contact with skin or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is currently only found in the natural weathering of mined ores and the degradation of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes, clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.
It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that do not have the tight knit fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in a variety ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This can be 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 of ground and surface water is mostly due to natural weathering. However, it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the most significant reason for illness among those who are exposed to it during their job.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most popular way people are exposed to the harmful fibres that can then get into the lungs and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can also take place in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or
asbestos building materials. This kind of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile, making them easier to inhale. They can also get deeper inside lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos.
The main types are chrysotile and amosite. The most common asbestos types are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four types haven't been as widely used however they can be present in older buildings. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile, however they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
A number of studies have demonstrated an connection between
asbestos law exposure and stomach cancer. Numerous studies have shown a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However there is no conclusive evidence. 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 as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos may cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, but the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos used and the duration of their exposure and
asbestos the manner in the way it is inhaled or consumed. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from respiratory issues or mesothelioma, you should consult your GP or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. 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. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons.