The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is difficult to tell by looking at a thing if it contains asbestos. It is also impossible to taste or smell it. It is only visible when materials containing asbestos are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos production. It was employed in a variety of industries, including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they can develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became an issue the use of asbestos has decreased significantly. However, traces of it remain in many of the products we use in the present.
Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to a significant amount of risk based on the current limit of exposure. The inhalation of airborne particles has been strongly associated with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and time of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared among a factory that used a large proportion of chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. The study found that after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.
Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other types of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative effects than fibrils with a longer length.
When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose any health risks. The fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.
Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos, like amosite or crocidolite is not as likely to cause diseases. Amphibole asbestos kinds have been the main source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates that are found in certain types rock formations. It is classified into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine) and tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are made up of thin, long fibres that range in length from extremely thin to broad and straight to curled. They can be found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to form talcum powder or vermiculite. These are commonly used in consumer products, including baby powder, cosmetics, and face powder.
The greatest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century in the period when it was employed in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace occurred in the air, however certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to era and geographic location.
The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually because of inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed through contact with skin or through eating foods contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is now only found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos like insulation, car brakes, clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.
It is becoming clear that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres do not form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the cliffs and mountains in a variety of countries.
Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it also leaches into soil and water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily caused through natural weathering. However, it has also been caused anthropogenically, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the removal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of illness among people who are exposed to it during their occupation.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent method by which people are exposed to harmful fibres. They can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can be experienced in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The risks of exposure are heightened when crocidolite which is the asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma related cases than any other form of asbestos.
The six main kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most popular forms of asbestos are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as widely utilized however, they could be found 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, like talc or vermiculite.
Many studies have discovered an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have reported an overall 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% 95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however the risks differ based on the amount of exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best option for people is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a condition such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory illnesses They should seek advice from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals that may form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. 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 composed of (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphibole minerals are prevalent in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark-colored and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding Cleavage. Their chemistry allows a wide variety of compositions. The various amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and actinolite. Each kind of asbestos has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is among the most dangerous asbestos kind. It contains sharp fibers which are easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite is a brownish to yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are difficult to analyze because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of composition of amphibole minerals requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods can only give approximate identifications. These methods, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. In kenner asbestos lawyer , these techniques can not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.