The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was a component in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and many other health problems.

You cannot tell if something is asbestos-containing by looking at it and you can't smell or taste it. Asbestos can only be detected when materials containing it are broken or drilled.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for the majority of asbestos production. It was widely used in 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 first became an issue, the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. However, trace amounts remain in the products we use in the present.

Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at current safe exposure levels. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both the intensity (dose) and duration of exposure.

One study that examined a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared mortality rates in this factory with national death rates. It was found that for the 40 years of processing 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 then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues over longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibers to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used all over the world particularly in structures such as schools and hospitals.

Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos, like amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely to cause disease. These amphibole types have been the most common cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it creates a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand harsh weather conditions and other environmental dangers. It is also very easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and then safely eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC, 1973).

Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibres that vary in length, ranging from very thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can 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, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder, and baby powder.

The most extensive use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century, when it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to era and geographic location.

Most asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were caused by inhalation, however certain workers were exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only present in the environment due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes, clutches and ceiling and floor tiles.

There is growing evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't weaved like the fibrils in amphibole or serpentine, they are loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.

Asbestos is able to enter the environment in many ways, including in the form of airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This occurs both from natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is largely associated with natural weathering. However, it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as mining and milling demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing material and the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibers is the primary reason for illness among those exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most popular method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other diseases can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can be experienced in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. This type of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile and therefore easier to breathe. They also can get deeper within lung tissues. It has been linked to a higher number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.

The six major types are chrysotile as well as amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and account for 95% of commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types aren't as widespread, but they can still be present in older structures. They are less harmful than chrysotile and amosite, but they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined in close proximity to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, and others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working 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 however, the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure, the type of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. IARC has stated 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 conditions, they should seek guidance from their GP or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are a kind of inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, but some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together by tetrahedron rings made of six. The tetrahedrons are separated one another by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark-colored and tough. Due to their similarity in hardness and color, they could be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also have a similar cleavage. However their chemistry allows the use of a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos lawyer consists of chrysotile, and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This variety was once used in cement-based products and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are difficult to study because of their a complicated chemical structure and a variety of substitutions. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.