The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

You can't tell if something has asbestos just simply by looking at it and you won't be able to smell or taste it. It is only visible when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for 99% of the asbestos produced. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, traces of it are still found in many of the products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at the current controlled exposure levels. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma were all associated with breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both the intensity (dose) and time of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a factory which used almost exclusively chlorosotile to make friction materials and the national death rate. It was found that for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure there was no signifi cant extra mortality in the factory.

Unlike some other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer.

When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and asbestos schools.

Research has shown that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos like crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it forms an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand harsh weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Professionals can safely get rid of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

Amosite

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

Asbestos minerals are made up of thin, long fibers that vary 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 minerals can also be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder that are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and baby powder.

Asbestos was widely used during the first two thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed to contaminated vermiculite or talc as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied according to industry, time and geographic location.

Asbestos exposure at work is mostly because of inhalation. However, some workers have been exposed through skin contact or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos is only present in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and the degradation of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes, clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.

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

Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos settlement-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 is also caused by human activity, for instance by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the removal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos at work.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed to the dangerous fibres, which can then get into the lungs and cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to fibers can occur in a variety of ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, the asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile and therefore easier to breathe in. They can also get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other form of asbestos.

The six major types are chrysotile as well as amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most frequently used types of asbestos case. They comprise 95% of commercial asbestos in use. The other four have not been as widely utilized but they can be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a danger when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite.

Numerous studies have shown the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is not conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however, the risk is dependent on how much exposure, the type of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory ailments, they should seek guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals that may form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement 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, which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral sites.

Amphibole minerals are prevalent in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups found in amphibole may 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 form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety has its own distinct characteristics. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This variety was once used in products such as cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, asbestos they are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and.