The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned, asbestos was widely used in commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is impossible to tell just by looking at a thing if it's made of asbestos. Neither can you taste or smell it. It is only discovered when asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos production. It was used in many industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. In the event that workers were exposed to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, tennessee asbestos law firm has diminished significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to spread in the 1960's. However, it is still present in trace amounts. are still present in the products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at current safe exposure levels. Inhaling airborne fibers has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been confirmed both for intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.
In one study mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely Chrysotile for the production of friction materials and national death rates. It was discovered that, for the 40 years of processing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure There was no significant additional mortality in this factory.
Chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter than other types of asbestos. They are able to enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than fibres that are longer.
When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to breathe and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world particularly in structures like hospitals and schools.
Research has shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, such as amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that can withstand harsh weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely dispose of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates found in a variety of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. They are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as a fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals are also found in the form of a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite and are used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
Asbestos was heavily used in the first two thirds of the 20th century for construction of ships, insulation, fireproofing, and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied by the type of industry, the time period and geographic location.
The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos were caused by inhalation, however some workers were also exposed through skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment because of natural weathering and the degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.
There is evidence emerging that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs from a variety of countries.
Asbestos enters the environment mainly as airborne particles, but it can also leach into soil and water. This can be caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is largely associated with natural weathering, however it has also been caused by anthropogenic activities like milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated dumping soils in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos 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. The fibres can penetrate the lung and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. The exposure to asbestos can happen in other ways, too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or materials. This kind of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe and can be lodged deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma related cases than any other form of asbestos.
The main types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. Chrysotile and amosite are the most frequently used types of asbestos and make up 95 percent of all commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types are not as common, but may still be found in older structures. They aren't as hazardous as chrysotile or amosite but can still be a risk when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc.
A number of studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. Numerous studies have shown a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, whereas others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.
IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, although the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used and the duration of their exposure and the method by the way that it is breathed in or ingested. IARC has stated that the best choice for people is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness such as mesothelioma and other respiratory conditions They should seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are a grouping of minerals that can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral that is composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but 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 octahedral strips.
Amphiboles are present in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and colors. They also have a comparable the cleavage. Their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The various amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
The five asbestos types in the amphibole family include amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each type of asbestos has its own distinct properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish color and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type of stone was once used in cement-based products and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals is a complex process that requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.