The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was widely used in commercial products. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is difficult to tell by taking a look at something if it's made of asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. It is only found when asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was employed in many industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. However, traces of it are still found in common products that we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use in the event that you have a complete safety and handling program in place. It has been proven that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there isn't an unneeded risk to the people working with the substance. Inhaling airborne fibers has been strongly associated with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a manufacturing facility which used almost exclusively chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. It was discovered that, for the 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile at a low level of exposure there was no significant extra mortality in the factory.
As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be smaller. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative effects than longer fibres.
It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres to be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.
Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is less likely than chrysotile to cause disease. These amphibole types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed together, a strong product is produced that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional, and then taken away.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be straight or curled. They are found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals are also found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite, which have been widely used in consumer products such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and baby powder.
Asbestos was widely used during the early two-thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres were in the air, however some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry to industry, from era to and geographic location.
The majority of asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were caused by inhalation, however certain workers were exposed through skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is now only found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined ore and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos like insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that do not form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. madison asbestos attorney are found in the mountains, sandstones and cliffs from a variety of nations.
Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also be released into soil or water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly due to natural weathering, but it has also been caused by human activities such as mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping soils in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the main reason for illness among those who are exposed to it during their work.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent way people are exposed to the dangerous fibres, which can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to fibers can occur in other ways, too including contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. This type of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile which makes them more difficult to inhale. They can also get deeper within lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other form of asbestos.
The six main types are chrysotile and amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most frequently used types of asbestos and account for 95% of asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four asbestos types aren't as common, but may still be found in older structures. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile. However, they could pose a threat when combined with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have proven the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence isn't conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent of the time CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.
IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all kinds of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however, the risk is dependent on how much exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that avoid all forms of asbestos is the most important thing to do since this is the best option for those who are exposed. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory ailments, they should seek guidance from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals that may form prism-like and needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal structure however, some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains consist of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons that are joined in rings of six. Tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips.
Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark and hard. Due to their similarity in strength and colour, they can be difficult for some to differentiate from the pyroxenes. They also share a similar cleavage pattern. However their chemistry allows the use of a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the various mineral groups in amphibole could be used to identify them.
Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five types of asbestos amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile, each variety has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that can easily be inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is composed of iron and magnesium. The variety was used previously in cement-based products and insulation materials.
Amphiboles can be difficult to study because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most widely used methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.