The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned asbestos was still used in a variety of commercial products. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.

It is difficult to tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it, and you can't smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detected when materials containing it are broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for 90% of the asbestos made. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. Fortunately, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. However, trace amounts are still present in products that we use in the present.

Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to a significant amount of risk at the present limits of exposure. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be 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 manufacturing facility which used largely chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. The study concluded that, after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.

In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They are able to enter the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues over longer fibres.

When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are used in a variety of locations around the world including hospitals and schools.

Research has proven that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix with cement, a tough product is produced that can withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres are easily removed by a professional and safely taken away.

Amosite

Asbestos is a category of silicate mineral fibrous that are found naturally in specific types of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).

Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibres that vary in length from very fine to broad and straight to curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying ends referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to form vermiculite or talcum powder. These are commonly used as consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics and face powder.

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

Most of the asbestos exposures at work were because of inhalation, but some workers were also exposed via skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.

There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly weaved like the fibrils that are found in amphibole and serpentine, they are loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains in a variety of 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 happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is mostly a result of natural weathering, however it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos at work.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung, causing serious health problems. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to fibres can occur in other ways, too including contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. The risks of exposure are heightened when crocidolite (the asbestos in the blue form is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile which makes them more difficult to breathe in. They can also get deeper within lung tissues. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. The most commonly used forms of asbestos settlement are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be found in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite or chrysotile however they could still be a danger when combined with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits like vermiculite and asbestos talc.

Numerous studies have revealed the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence isn't conclusive. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risk is different based on the amount of exposure, what type of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos should be the highest priority as it is the best option for people. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma and asbestos other respiratory diseases it is recommended that they seek advice 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 inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some exhibit 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. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another with octahedral strips.

Amphiboles are found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and color. They also share a similar the cleavage. However their chemistry permits an array of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different minerals in amphibole can be used to identify them.

The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include amosite, anthophyllite as well as crocidolite and actinolite. While the most frequently used form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety has its own distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos; more about dnpaint.co.kr, type. It has sharp fibers that are easily breathed into the lung. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of composition of amphibole minerals is a complex process that requires specialized methods. The most popular methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.