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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was still used in a variety of commercial products. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer, as well as other health issues.

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

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile comprised up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was widely used in industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. In the event that workers were exposed to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to increase in the 1960's. However, trace amounts remain in products that we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. People who handle chrysotile do not exposed to a significant amount of risk based on the current limits of exposure. The inhalation of airborne fibres has been linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven to be true for both the intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure.

One study that studied an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials, compared mortality rates at this factory with national death rates. The study concluded that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are usually 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 problems over longer fibres.

When chrysotile mixes with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are extensively used in a variety of locations around the world including hospitals and schools.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos, like amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely to cause disease. Amphibole asbestos types have been the most common cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile is combined with cement, it forms a strong, flexible building product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional, and then eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of silicate fibrous minerals that naturally occur in certain types of rock formations. It is classified into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

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

The largest use of asbestos occurred in the first two-thirds of twentieth century when it was utilized in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres borne by air, but some workers were exposed toxic talc or vermiculite and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to and even geographical location.

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

There is emerging evidence that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly knit like the fibrils found in amphibole or serpentine, but are instead loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers are found in cliffs, mountains and sandstones of many countries.

Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into water or soil. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by humans, such as through mining and Asbestos Attorney milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Exposure to asbestos-containing airborne fibres is still the primary cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent method by which people are exposed dangerous fibres, which can then get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos attorney (www.huenhue.net said in a blog post) fibres can occur in different ways too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This kind of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are softer and less brittle which makes them more difficult to breathe in. They also can get deeper within lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos.

The six main types are chrysotile and amosite. The most common asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four types haven't been as extensively used but they can be found in older buildings. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile however they could still be dangerous when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits like vermiculite and talc.

Several studies have found an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent range of CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% 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 asbestos types as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other health issues, although the risks differ based on the amount of exposure that individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved as well as the duration of exposure and the way in which it is breathed in or consumed. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from an illness such as mesothelioma and asbestos attorney other respiratory diseases, they should seek guidance from their physician or NHS 111.

Amphibole

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

Amphiboles are found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark-colored and are hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and color. They also share a similar cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for the use of a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.

The five types of asbestos in the amphibole family include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and actinolite. While the most popular form of asbestos is chrysotile; each has its own unique characteristics. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos type. It has sharp fibers that can be easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are difficult to analyze because they have a a complicated chemical structure and a variety of substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.