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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. According to studies, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.

You cannot tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it, and you cannot taste or smell it. It is only visible in the event that asbestos-containing products are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for 95% of the asbestos that was produced. It was widely used in industries like construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became an issue, the use of asbestos has been reduced significantly. However, traces of it remain in common products that we use today.

Chrysotile can be used safely if a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. It has been found that at the current controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to the people handling it. The inhalation of airborne particles has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed both in terms of intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a manufacturing facility which used almost exclusively Chrysotile in the production 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 rates in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can enter the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause ill-health effects than fibrils with a longer length.

When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are used in various parts of the world including hospitals and schools.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely to cause diseases. These amphibole types are the primary cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms a strong, flexible building product that is able to withstand severe conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional and eliminated.

Amosite

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

Asbestos minerals are made up of thin, long fibers that range in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in a powder form (talc) or combined with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. They are extensively used in consumer products, including baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.

The heaviest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century, when it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were in the air, but some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied from industry industry, era to era, and geographical location.

Most of the asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed through contact with skin or by eating food contaminated with asbestos legal. Asbestos is now only found in the air due to natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.

It is becoming evident that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos enters the environment mainly in the form of airborne particles, however it can also leach into soil and water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is mostly due to natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos attorney-containing materials as well as the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the main reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos during their occupation.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed to the harmful fibres that can then be inhaled and cause serious health problems. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in a variety of ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. This kind of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos litigation) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are thinner and more fragile, making them easier to inhale. They also can get deeper in lung tissues. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other form of asbestos.

The six main types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. Chrysotile and amosite are the most frequently used types of asbestos. They comprise 95 percent of all asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four asbestos types are not as common, but may still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.

Many studies have discovered 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, whereas others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in mines and chrysotile mills.

IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however, the risk is dependent on how much exposure, what type of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best option for people is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from respiratory issues or mesothelioma, you should seek advice from your physician or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually have a monoclinic structure in their crystals, 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 a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated by octahedral strips.

Amphibole minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and color. They also share a corresponding the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five asbestos types amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most commonly used form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish 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 because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires specialized techniques. The most commonly used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.