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 by just looking at something if it is made of asbestos. Also, you cannot taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detected when the materials that contain it are broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile was responsible for 99% of the asbestos created. It was utilized in a variety of industries which included construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed to the toxic material, they could contract mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still found in many products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at current safe exposure levels. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven both in terms of intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.

One study that examined a facility that used nearly 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 tend to be shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can enter the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative consequences than longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are widely used in a variety of locations around the world, including schools and hospitals.

Research has proven that amphibole asbestos, like amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. Amphibole asbestos kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma as well as 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 easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional and safely eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates that are found in various types of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that range in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils or bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used in consumer products such as baby powder, cosmetics, and even face powder.

The largest use of asbestos was in the early two-thirds of the 20th century when it was utilized in insulation, Asbestos shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres were in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to and even geographical location.

The majority of asbestos exposures at work were due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the air due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.

It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that are not the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos enters the environment mainly in the form of airborne particles, however it can also be absorbed into soil and water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is mostly due to natural weathering, but it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated dumping soil in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres is still the primary cause of illness for people exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos law through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed harmful fibres, which could be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibres can be experienced in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easier to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other types of asbestos.

The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are among the most commonly used forms of asbestos lawyer. They comprise 95% of commercial asbestos that is used. The other four asbestos types aren't as widespread, but they can still be found in older structures. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.

Numerous studies have proven the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't unanimous. Some researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95% of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however the risks differ based on how much exposure, the type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos should be the highest priority since this is the safest option for those who are exposed. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma or other respiratory diseases it is recommended that they seek advice from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. 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 from each other by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphibole minerals are found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark-colored and tough. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding cut. However their chemistry permits many different compositions. The different amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.

The five asbestos types in the amphibole family include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and actinolite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile; each has its own unique characteristics. Crocidolite is the most dangerous asbestos kind. It is composed of sharp fibers that can easily be inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite is a brownish to yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This kind of stone was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. The most widely used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.