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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

You cannot tell by just looking at a thing if it is made up of asbestos. You cannot taste or smell it. It is only discovered when asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 99percent of the asbestos created. It was employed in many industries which included construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. It is still found in many products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at current limits of exposure. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma are all associated with breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed both for the intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure.

In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility that used a large proportion of chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. The study found that, after 40 years of manufacturing low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant increase in mortality rates at this facility.

As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more prone to causing health effects than longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has shown that amphibole asbestos, such as amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely to cause disease. These amphibole varieties are the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile and cement are mixed and cured, a tough product is produced that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and then safely taken away.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of silicate minerals with fibrous structure which are found naturally in a variety of types of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

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

The most extensive asbestos use was during the first two-thirds of twentieth century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, however certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by industry, time period and geographical location.

Most asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation. However, certain workers were exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is currently only found in the natural weathering of mined ores and the degrading of contaminated materials such as insulation, car brakes and clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

There is evidence emerging that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't weaved like the fibrils that are found in amphibole and serpentine they are loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries.

Asbestos enters the environment mainly as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and asbestos ananthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it can also be caused by humans, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness in people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs which can cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can be triggered in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile and therefore easier to inhale. They also can get deeper within lung tissues. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos.

The six primary types are chrysotile and amosite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four have not been as popularly used however, they could be found in older buildings. They are less hazardous than amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a danger when combined with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc.

A number of studies have demonstrated an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. The evidence isn't unanimous. 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 have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, however the risks vary according to the amount of exposure that individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos involved as well as the duration of exposure and the way in the way it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has stated that the best choice for people is to avoid all forms of asbestos. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from respiratory issues or mesothelioma, you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral sites.

Amphibole minerals can be found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark and hard. Due to their similarity of hardness and color, they may be difficult for some to differentiate from the pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding design of cleavage. Their chemistry can allow for a range of compositions. The various amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos settlement includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most popular form of asbestos is chrysotile. Each variety is unique in its own way. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and asbestos is composed of iron and magnesium. This type of stone was once used in products such as cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze due to their complicated chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. The most common methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.