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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.

It is difficult to tell by looking at something if it contains asbestos. It is also impossible to taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detectable when materials containing it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 90% of the asbestos made. It was used in many industries like construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. In the event that workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos attorney (http://www.theday1004.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=free&wr_id=22041)-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to increase in the 1960's. However, it is still present in trace amounts. are still found in common products that we use today.

Chrysotile can be used safely if a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at the present limits of exposure. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have been strongly associated with breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both intensity (dose) and time of exposure.

One study that examined a factory that used almost exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials compared the mortality rates of this factory with national mortality rates. It was found that, for 40 years of preparing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure there was no significant additional mortality in this factory.

In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are utilized in many areas of the world, including schools and hospitals.

Studies have shown that chrysotile is less prone to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, like crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile is combined with cement, it creates an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely dispose of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

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 and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

Asbestos minerals comprise thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. They are found in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals are also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite that are widely used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and baby powder.

The largest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century when it was utilized in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres were in the air, however some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by industry, time and geographical location.

Asbestos exposure in the workplace is mostly due to inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through contact with skin or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated like ceiling and floor tiles automobile brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly weaved like the fibrils that are found in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs from a variety of countries.

Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it can also leach into soil and water. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos legal-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in surface and ground waters is primarily caused through natural weathering. However it is also caused anthropogenically, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos during their work.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent method by which people are exposed to the dangerous fibres, which can then get into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to fibres can occur in other ways, too like contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite (the asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos lawsuit types.

The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite, and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most frequently used types of asbestos and make up 95% of the commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types aren't as well-known, but can still be found in older structures. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile but still be a risk when mixed with other minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits like vermiculite and talc.

Many studies have discovered an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. The evidence is not conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent of the time CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% C.I. 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all types of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risks vary depending on the amount of exposure, what type of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best option for people is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a condition such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement of crystals, however some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains consist of (Si,Al)O4 tetrahedrons that are linked in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated from each other with octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are prevalent in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark-colored and tough. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they could be difficult for some to distinguish from Pyroxenes. They also share a similar cleavage. Their chemistry permits a wide range of compositions. The different amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five types of asbestos amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each kind of asbestos has its own unique properties. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos kind. It contains sharp fibers which are easily inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.