The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products before it was banned. Research shows that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is difficult to tell by taking a look at something if it's made of asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detectable when the materials that contain it are broken or drilled.
Chrysotile
At the height of its use, chrysotile made the majority of the asbestos produced. It was used by many industries such as construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to spread in the 1960's. It is still present in many products we use in the present.
Chrysotile can be used safely if a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk based on the current controlled exposure levels. The inhalation of airborne particles has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.
In one study mortality rates were compared among a factory which used largely Chrysotile for the production of friction materials and the national death rate. It was found that, for 40 years of preparing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure, there was no significant excess mortality in this factory.
Chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter than other types of asbestos. They are able to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.
When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are extensively used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has proven that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely to cause diseases. Amphibole asbestos types have been the most common source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a strong, flexible building product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and safely taken away.
Amosite
Asbestos refers to a group of silicate mineral fibrous that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups which include amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibres that range in length, ranging from very fine to wide and straight to curled. They are present in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals in order to create talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively as consumer goods, such as baby powder, cosmetics, and even face powder.
The most extensive asbestos use was during the first two-thirds of the twentieth century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures involved asbestos fibres borne by air, but some workers were exposed contaminated vermiculite or talc and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied according to industry, time and geographic location.
The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mostly caused by inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through skin contact or through eating foods contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and the degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches, and insulation.
There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that don't form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibres can be found in the mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones from a variety of nations.
Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety of ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in surface and ground waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activity, for instance through the mining and 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 the most common reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed to dangerous fibres, which can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to the fibres can occur in different ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are thinner and more fragile making them more palatable to breathe in. They can also lodge deeper within lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other asbestos types.
The six primary types are chrysotile and amosite. The most common asbestos types are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile, however they could be a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Several studies have found an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. However, the evidence is contradictory. toledo asbestos lawyer have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.
IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all kinds of asbestos carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma and other health problems, but the risks differ based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos involved as well as the duration of exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or consumed. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory conditions and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles comprise a variety of minerals that may form prism-like and needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement 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 linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphiboles are found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and are hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding cut. However, their chemistry allows for a wide 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 includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is made up of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals are hard to study because of their an intricate chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. The most popular methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.