The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was a component 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 contains asbestos simply by looking at it and you are unable to 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 95% of the asbestos made. It was used by many industries which included construction insulation, asbestos Law fireproofing and insulation. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they may develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to increase in the 1960's. It is still present in a variety of products we use in the present.

Chrysotile is safe to use with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been found that at the current controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to the people who handle it. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed both for intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.

A study that looked at a factory that used almost exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared mortality rates at this factory with national mortality rates. The study concluded that, after 40 years of processing at low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They are able to enter the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues than fibres with longer lengths.

It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres to be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products have been extensively used throughout the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.

Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos, such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. These amphibole varieties are the primary source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it forms a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental dangers. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional and safely eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in certain types of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. These fibers are found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to create vermiculite or talcum powder. They are used extensively in consumer products, such as baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.

The largest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds of twentieth century in the period when it was employed in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures involved asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed vermiculite or talc that was contaminated and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era to era and also from geographical location.

The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos were caused by inhalation, however some workers were also exposed through skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the the natural weathering of mined ore and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres do not form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers are found in cliffs, mountains and sandstones from a variety of nations.

Asbestos can be found in the environment as airborne particles, but it can also be absorbed into water and soil. This can be caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of Asbestos law-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly due to natural weathering, but has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities like mining and milling demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). The inhalation of asbestos settlement fibres remains the main cause of illness among people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent way people are exposed to dangerous fibres, which can then be inhaled and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to fibres can occur in different ways too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe in and may lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six major types of asbestos lawsuit are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most frequently used types of asbestos and make up 95% of commercial asbestos in use. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as widely used however, they could be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite or chrysotile however they could still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite.

A number of studies have demonstrated an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. The evidence is contradictory. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mills and mines.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, however the risks vary according to the amount of exposure that individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos used as well as the length of their exposure and the method by which it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all forms of asbestos. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their physician or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They typically possess a monoclinic crystal system but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si,Al)O4 tetrahedrons that are linked in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated one another by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphibole minerals can be found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. However their chemistry permits the use of a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and Asbestos Law crystal structure of the various mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.

The five types of asbestos in the amphibole family include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite as well as crocidolite and actinolite. While the most frequently used form of asbestos is chrysotile; each has distinct characteristics. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This kind of stone was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are challenging to analyze because they have a complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires special techniques. The most popular methods of identifying amphiboles include EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.