The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is difficult to tell if something is asbestos-containing by looking at it, and you cannot taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be detected when the materials that contain it are broken or drilled.
Chrysotile
At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma began to become a major concern asbestos use has declined significantly. norfolk asbestos lawsuit is still present in a variety of products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. It has been proven that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to those who handle the substance. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed both for the intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.
A study that looked at a factory that used almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials compared the mortality rates of this factory with national death rates. It was discovered that, for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure There was no significant extra mortality in the factory.
Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other types of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative effects than longer fibres.
It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are used extensively throughout the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools.
Research has revealed that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole varieties are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a strong, flexible construction product that is able to withstand severe conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicate minerals that are found naturally in specific types of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973).
Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that range in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibers are found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to form talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively in consumer products such as baby powder cosmetics, and face powder.
The largest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of 20th century where 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 certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by industry, time period and geographical location.
The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually caused by inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed through contact with skin or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the degradation of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes, clutches, as well as floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains, sandstones, and cliffs from a variety of nations.
Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is typically a result of natural weathering, but has also been caused by human activities such as mining and milling demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lungs which can cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibers can also take place in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, a blue form of asbestos is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile and therefore easier to breathe in. They can also lodge deeper inside lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other types of asbestos.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types are not as widespread, but they can still be found in older structures. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile, however they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have revealed an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. However the evidence is not conclusive. Some researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.
IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however, the risk is dependent on how much exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and how long exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all forms of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma or other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a class of minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains comprise (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral site.
Amphiboles can be found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar Cleavage. Their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.
Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five asbestos types amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile, each variety has its own unique characteristics. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles can be difficult to study because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.