The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. According to studies, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and many other health issues.
You cannot tell if something is asbestos-containing by looking at it and you can't taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detectable 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 production. It was employed in many industries, including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to the toxic material, they may develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to spread in the 1960's. However, trace amounts of it are still present in products that we use today.
anaheim asbestos lawsuit is safe to use when you have a thorough safety and handling program in place. It has been discovered that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to those working with the substance. Inhaling airborne fibres has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared among a factory which used largely chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death 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.
Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative effects than fibres with longer lengths.
When chrysotile mixes with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are widely used in a variety of locations around the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has proven that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it creates a strong, flexible building product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental dangers. It is also very easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibres are easily removed by a professional and then safely disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of silicate fibrous minerals which are found naturally in a variety of kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibres that vary in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying edges called a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals can be found in the form of a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite, which have been widely used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and baby powder.
The heaviest asbestos use was during the first two-thirds of 20th century in the period when it was employed in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied according to industry, time and geographical location.
The majority of asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation. However, some workers were also exposed through skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches as well as insulation.
There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that are not the tightly knit fibrils of the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres can be found in the mountains, sandstones and cliffs of a variety of countries.
Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, including through 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 in surface and ground waters is primarily caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused anthropogenically, such as through mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness in people exposed to it occupationally.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lungs, causing serious health problems. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to the fibres can occur in different ways, like contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The risks of exposure are greater when crocidolite, a asbestos' blue form, is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easier to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to a higher number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos.
The main kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as popularly used but they can be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite or chrysotile but still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc.
Numerous studies have revealed an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, whereas others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mills and mines.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risks vary depending on the amount of exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best choice for people is to avoid all forms of asbestos. If you've been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory condition or mesothelioma, then you should talk to your doctor or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however 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. The tetrahedrons are separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphiboles can be found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. Their chemistry can allow for a 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 asbestos types belonging to the amphibole family are amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. Each kind of asbestos has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is among the most dangerous asbestos type. It has sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. An in-depth analysis of the composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.