The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and a host of other health issues.
You cannot tell by just looking at a thing if it's made of asbestos. Neither can you smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detectable when the material containing it is broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile provided for 99percent of the asbestos created. It was utilized in a variety of industries including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. However, if workers were exposed to the toxic material, they may develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this harmful mineral has diminished drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to increase in the 1960's. It is still present in many products we use today.
Chrysotile can be used safely with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is in place. People who handle chrysotile do not at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk based on the current limit of exposure. Inhaling airborne fibres has been linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed for both the intensity (dose) and time of exposure.
In one study mortality rates were compared between a factory which used almost exclusively chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. The study found that after 40 years of processing at low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality at this factory.
In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be smaller. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to causing health effects than fibres with longer lengths.
When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and pose health risks. The fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.
Research has shown that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole varieties are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix with cement, a tough product is produced that is able to withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Professionals can safely remove asbestos fibres once they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicates found in a variety of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that vary in length from very fine to wide and straight to curled. They are found in nature as individual fibrils or as bundles with splaying ends called fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to form talcum powder or vermiculite. They are used extensively as consumer goods, such as baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.
The greatest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of the twentieth century in the period when it was employed in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied according to industry, time period and geographical location.
Most occupational exposures to asbestos were due to inhalation. However, certain workers were exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes, clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that are not the tightly weaved fibrils of serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in a variety ways, including as airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused by human activity, for instance by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Exposure to asbestos-containing airborne fibers is the primary cause of illness for people exposed to it occupationally.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung, causing serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to asbestos fibers can occur in different ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile making them more palatable to breathe. They also can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a higher number of mesothelioma cases than any other type of asbestos.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most common asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four have not been as extensively used however, they could be found in older buildings. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile. However, they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals or mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
A number of studies have demonstrated an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported 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 chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.
IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however the risks differ based on how much exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best option for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from respiratory issues or mesothelioma condition, then you should talk to your doctor or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is a class of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons, which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons may be separated by strips of octahedral site.
Amphiboles can be found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark-colored and hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also have a similar the cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for a wide range of compositions. The different mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.
fall river asbestos attorney of asbestos in the amphibole class include amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each variety of asbestos has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos kind. It contains sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish color and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This variety was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals can be difficult to analyze due to their an intricate chemical structure and a variety of substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.