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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research shows that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.

You cannot tell if something has asbestos just by looking at it, and you can't taste or asbestos smell it. Asbestos can only be detected when the substances that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was employed in many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could contract mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became an issue, the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. It is still found in many products we use in the present.

Chrysotile can be safely used in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. It has been discovered that at the present exposure levels, there isn't an unneeded risk to the people working with it. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for both intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.

In one study, mortality rates were compared between a manufacturing facility that primarily used Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and national death rates. The study revealed that after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, asbestos there was no significant rise in mortality at this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can enter the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health problems over longer fibres.

When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used in many parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.

Studies have shown that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole types like these are the primary source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix and cured, a tough and flexible product is created that can withstand extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and then safely taken away.

Amosite

Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates that are found in certain types rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be straight or curled. These fibers are found in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals can also be found in the form of a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite and are used in consumer products like baby powder, face powder and cosmetics.

The most extensive asbestos use was during the first two-thirds of the 20th century where it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, but some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied according to industry, time period, and geographic location.

The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mostly caused by inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through skin contact or through eating foods contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is only present in the environment due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos such as insulation, car brakes, clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

It is becoming apparent that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that are not the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in many ways, including through airborne particles. It is also able to leach into water or soil. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by anthropogeny, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the main reason for illness among those exposed to it in their occupation.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lung and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos fibres can be triggered in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. This type of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easy to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos types.

The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most commonly used asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as popularly used however, they could be present in older buildings. They are less hazardous than chrysotile and amosite, but they could be a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

A number of studies have demonstrated an association between asbestos settlement exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However the evidence is not conclusive. 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, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos may cause mesothelioma and other health issues, however the risks are different based on the amount of exposure people are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved as well as the length of their exposure and the way in the way it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has declared that the best option for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory condition or mesothelioma then you should see your physician or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral that is composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic arrangement of crystals, but some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another with octahedral strips.

Amphiboles can be found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark-colored and are hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar the cleavage. Their chemistry can allow for a variety of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. The most widely used asbestos type is chrysotile; each has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite is a brownish to yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This kind of stone was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals can be difficult to analyze because they have a a complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. The most popular methods of identifying amphiboles include EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.