The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health issues.

It is impossible to determine if a product contains asbestos by looking at it, and you won't be able to taste or smell it. It is only visible when asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 99percent of the asbestos produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries like construction, insulation, and fireproofing. In the event that workers were exposed to the toxic material, they could contract mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became an issue, the use of asbestos has decreased significantly. However, trace amounts of it can still be found in products that we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. It has been found that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers who handle the substance. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing in 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 factory that used a large proportion of Chrysotile for the production of friction materials and national death rates. It was found that over the course of 40 years, processing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure, there was no significant increase in mortality in this particular factory.

Chrysotile fibers are generally shorter than other types of asbestos. They are able to enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues over longer fibres.

When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively utilized in many areas of the world including hospitals and schools.

Studies have shown that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos like crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole forms have been the primary cause of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand harsh conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional, and then disposed of.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that occur naturally in certain types of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. They are found in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used as consumer goods, including baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.

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

The majority of asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation, but certain workers were exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials like ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

There is evidence to suggest that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that don't form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily caused through natural weathering. However it is also caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the most significant cause of illness among people exposed to asbestos during their job.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most popular way people are exposed harmful fibres. They can then enter the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to fibres can occur in other ways as well including contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. The risks of exposure are greater when crocidolite which is the asbestos that is blue is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other asbestos types.

The six major types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and make up 95 percent of all commercial asbestos currently used. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as widely used however they can be found in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos attorney minerals or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

Several studies have found 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 cited a 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 workers in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all types of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risks vary depending on how much exposure, what type of asbestos law is involved, and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos should be the highest priority, as this is the best option for those who are exposed. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness such as mesothelioma or other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are groups of minerals that can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral made up of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in rings of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and color. They also share a similar cut. Their chemistry allows a wide variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various minerals in amphibole can be used to identify them.

The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and actinolite. Each kind of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. The most commonly used methods of identifying amphiboles include EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.