The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.
It is not possible to tell by simply looking at a thing if it is made of asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. It is only visible when asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was widely used in industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they can develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this harmful mineral has diminished dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. However, traces of it are still present in many of the products we use in the present.
Chrysotile can be safely used when a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk based on the current controlled 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 confirmed for intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure.
A study that looked at a facility that used nearly all chrysotile as its friction materials compared mortality rates in this facility with national mortality rates. The study found that after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile there was no significant rise in mortality rates in this factory.
As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than longer fibres.
When chrysotile mixes with cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. The fibre cement products are extensively used all over the world particularly in buildings like hospitals and schools.
Research has shown that chrysotile has a lower chance to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When cement and chrysotile mix with cement, a tough and flexible material is created that is able to withstand extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos refers to a set of silicate mineral fibrous that occur naturally in certain kinds of rock formations. It is divided into six groups including amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals comprise long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can also be curled or straight. These fibres can be found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals are also found in the form of a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder that are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder, face powder and cosmetics.
Asbestos was widely used during the early two-thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were airborne asbestos fibres, but some workers were exposed contaminated vermiculite or talc, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to and also from geographical location.
Asbestos exposure in the workplace is mainly caused by inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed through skin contact or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos is only present in the air due to natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.
It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. edmond asbestos attorneys are fibres that do not have the tight interwoven fibrils that are found in the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries.
Asbestos can enter the environment in a variety of ways, including through airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it can also be caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of disease among those who are exposed to it during their job.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can enter the lung which can cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways too like contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This type of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are thinner and more fragile, making them easier to breathe. They can also get deeper inside lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other form of asbestos.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most common forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be found in older structures. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile. However, they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.
Numerous studies have revealed an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mills and mines.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, although the risks are different based on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos involved as well as the length of their exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or consumed. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority since this is the most secure option for those who are exposed. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma and other respiratory conditions They should seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral made up of two chains of molecules of SiO4. They typically have a monoclinic structure in their crystals but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains comprise (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together by tetrahedron rings made of six. Tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips.
Amphiboles can be found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark-colored and are hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they could be difficult for some to differentiate from pyroxenes. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. However, their chemistry allows for a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the various mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.
The five types of asbestos belonging to the amphibole family are amosite, anthophyllite and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. Each kind of asbestos has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that can be easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This variety was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals can be difficult to study because of their a complicated chemical structure and many substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. In addition, these techniques can not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.