The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Before it was banned, asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research shows that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
You cannot tell by just looking at something if it is made of asbestos. Neither can you smell or taste it. It is only visible when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile made the majority of asbestos production. It was widely used in industries including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Fortunately, the use of this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to grow in the 1960's. It is still found in a variety of products we use in the present.
Chrysotile is safe to use when a thorough safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been determined that at the current controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to those who handle the substance. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.
One study that looked into a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared the mortality rates of this factory with national mortality 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.
Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause health effects than longer fibres.
It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres to be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are used in various parts of the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has proven that chrysotile has a lower chance to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, such as amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole varieties are the primary cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand harsh conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and safely disposed of.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It is classified into six groups which include amphibole (serpentine), Tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that vary in length from very fine to broad and straight to curled. These fibres can be found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can also be found in the form of a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder and are used in consumer products such as baby powder, face powder and cosmetics.
Asbestos was used extensively in the first two thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and various other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed vermiculite or talc that was contaminated as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied according to industry, time period, and geographic location.
Most of the asbestos exposures at work were due to inhalation. However, certain workers were exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is currently only found in the natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't knit like the fibrils found in amphibole or serpentine, but are instead loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. They can be found in cliffs, mountains and sandstones in a variety of countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It is also able to leach into water or soil. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it can also be caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the primary cause of illness in people who are exposed to it during their occupation.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed to dangerous fibres, which can then be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other diseases are all caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibers can occur in other ways as well, for example, contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This type of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) 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 greater number of mesothelioma cases than any other form of asbestos.
The six major kinds are chrysotile and amosite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most frequently used types of asbestos, and comprise 95% of the asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four forms haven't been as widely utilized but they can be found in older buildings. They are less dangerous than chrysotile and amosite, but they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have revealed an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% 95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, but the risk is different based on how much exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved and how long exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that abstaining from all asbestos forms should be the top priority because this is the best option for people. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments it is recommended that they seek advice from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic arrangement of crystals, but some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. 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. Due to their similarity of hardness and color, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from Pyroxenes. They also share a similar the cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for many different compositions. The different mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
ventura asbestos law firm is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five asbestos types amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. It was previously used in products such as cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are difficult to analyze due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods for identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hornblende and hastingsite. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.