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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health problems.

It is not possible to tell by simply looking at something if it is made up of asbestos. Neither can you smell or taste it. It is only found when the asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.

Chrysotile

At the height of its use, chrysotile made the majority of asbestos lawyer production. It was utilized in a variety of industries like construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they can develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. Fortunately, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still found in many products we use in the present.

Chrysotile 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 unneeded risk to the people who handle the substance. Inhaling airborne fibres has been strongly associated with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed for intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.

One study that examined an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. The study found that after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality at this factory.

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

It is very difficult for chrysotile fibers to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are utilized in many areas of the world, including schools and hospitals.

Research has shown that amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile and cement are mixed and cured, a tough and flexible material is created which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and safely taken away.

Amosite

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

Asbestos minerals comprise long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. They are found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to form vermiculite or talcum powder. These are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, and face powder.

The greatest asbestos use was during the early two-thirds of the twentieth century, asbestos when it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to airborne asbestos fibres, but some workers were exposed contaminated vermiculite or talc, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied according to the industry, time frame, and geographic location.

Exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually due to inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed by contact with their skin or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos is currently only found in the the natural weathering of mined ore and the degradation of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor asbestos and ceiling tiles.

There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't tightly woven like the fibrils found in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in a variety of ways, including through airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This can be due to both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly a result of natural weathering, but has also been caused by human activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the most significant cause of disease among those exposed to asbestos in their occupation.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can enter the lungs and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos fibres could occur in different ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The risks of exposure are higher when crocidolite, a asbestos compensation that is blue, is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe in and can get deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six main types are chrysotile and amosite. Amosite and chrysotile are the most commonly used types of asbestos and account for 95% of all commercial asbestos in use. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as extensively used however, they could be present in older buildings. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, however they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals or mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

Numerous studies have proven the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other health problems, but the risks vary according to the amount of exposure that individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos used, the duration of their exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or consumed. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos is the most important thing to do because this is the safest option for people. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer from respiratory issues or mesothelioma then you should seek advice from your physician or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement of crystals, however certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. 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 may be separated by octahedral strips.

Amphiboles are present in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and color. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry permits a wide variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five asbestos types amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most commonly used form of asbestos is chrysotile. Each variety is unique in its own way. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos kind. It has sharp fibers that can easily be breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish color and is composed primarily of magnesium and iron. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to 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 popular methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance can't distinguish between magnesio hornblende and hastingsite. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.