The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.
It is difficult to tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it and you are unable to smell or taste it. It is only found when materials containing asbestos are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile comprised up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was used by many industries, including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they are likely to develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became a problem the use of asbestos has decreased significantly. However, trace amounts of it remain in common products that we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use when you have a thorough safety and handling program in place. People who handle chrysotile do not exposed to an undue amount of risk based on the current safe exposure levels. The inhalation of airborne fibres has been strongly associated with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been proven for both intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.
One study that looked into an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national death rates. The study found that, after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory.
In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be smaller. They can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause health effects than fibres with longer lengths.
It is very difficult for chrysotile fibers to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are widely used in various parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.
Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. These amphibole types have been the primary source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicate minerals that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is divided into six groups: amphibole (serpentine), tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can also be curled or straight. These fibers are found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can also be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder, which have been widely used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
The most extensive use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds period of the 20th century in the period when it was employed in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work were in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time period and geographic location.
Most asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation, but some workers were also exposed through contact with skin or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos like insulation, car brakes and clutches, as well as floor and ceiling tiles.
There is growing evidence that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly 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 in a variety of countries.
Asbestos gets into the environment primarily in the form of airborne particles, however it also leaches into water and soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic causes (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily caused through natural weathering. However it can also be caused by humans, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the most significant cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos in their occupation.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other diseases can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibers can occur in different ways too, for example, contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This type of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are more easy to breathe in and can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other asbestos types.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as widely utilized however they can be found in older buildings. They are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile. However, they could be a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as talc or vermiculite.
Numerous studies have revealed an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't conclusive. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, but the risks vary according to the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used as well as the duration of exposure, and the manner in which it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has declared that the best choice for people is to avoid all types of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory conditions, they should seek guidance from their GP or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement 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. The tetrahedrons are separated by strips of octahedral site.
Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark and hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they could be difficult for some to distinguish from the pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding the cleavage pattern. However their chemistry permits an array of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five asbestos types: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. The most widely used form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety has distinct characteristics. The most harmful type of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. The most commonly used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. These techniques, for example can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. Furthermore, hartford asbestos lawsuit do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.