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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.

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

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for up 99% of asbestos production. It was widely used in industries including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became a major concern asbestos use has been drastically reduced. It is still found in many of the products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use when a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to an undue amount of risk at the present limit of exposure. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a facility that used a large proportion of Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and the national death rate. It was discovered that, for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile at a low level of exposure there was no significant excess mortality in this factory.

In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause ill-health consequences than longer fibres.

When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to air-borne and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products have been extensively used all over the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools.

Research has proven that chrysotile is less prone to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types are the main cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a strong, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and then safely disposed of.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of silicate fibrous minerals that are found naturally in specific types of rock formations. It is divided into six groups including amphibole (serpentine) and the tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can also be straight or curled. They can be found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can also be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder, which have been widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder, face powder and cosmetics.

Asbestos was used extensively in the early two-thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing, insulation and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to airborne asbestos fibres, but some workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry to industry, era era, and geographical location.

Exposure to asbestos at work is mostly caused by inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed via skin contact or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can be found in the environment from natural weathering of mined ores and the degrading of contaminated materials like insulation, car brakes and clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that do not form the tightly woven fibrils of the 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 is absorbed into the environment mostly in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into water and soil. This can be caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in ground and surface water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of Asbestos attorney fibres remains the main cause of illness in people exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most popular way people are exposed harmful fibres. They can then enter the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma as well as asbestosis and other diseases are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The risks of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, the blue form of asbestos is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile and therefore easier to breathe. They also can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.

The six main types are chrysotile as well as amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and make up 95% of the asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile but still be dangerous when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc.

Numerous studies have shown an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is contradictory. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent C.I. 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health problems, but the risks vary according to the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used, the duration of their exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or consumed. IARC has declared that the best option for people is to avoid all forms of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma or other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals that form prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually possess a monoclinic crystal system, although some 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 in rings of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are prevalent in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar cleavage pattern. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different minerals in amphibole can be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five asbestos types: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most frequently used asbestos type is chrysotile each type has its own distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos kind. It has sharp fibers that can be easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or 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 a variety of substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. The most widely used methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio-hornblende and hastingsite. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.