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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was widely used in commercial products. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and many other health problems.

It is impossible to determine if a product includes asbestos by looking at it and you are unable to taste or smell it. It is only found when materials containing asbestos are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 99% of the asbestos created. It was used in many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma was first becoming a major concern asbestos use has decreased significantly. However, trace amounts of it are still found in many of the products we use in the present.

Chrysotile can be safely used when a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to a significant amount of risk at the present controlled exposure levels. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma are all linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and time of exposure.

One study that studied the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. The study found that after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibers are generally shorter than other types of asbestos. They can enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than longer fibres.

When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to be airborne and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are used in various parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos, like amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely to cause diseases. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile and cement are mixed with cement, a tough and flexible material is created that is able to stand up to extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely dispose of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates that are found in a variety of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC 1973).

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 in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals in order to create vermiculite or talcum powder. These are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, and face powder.

The greatest asbestos use occurred during the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were in the air, however some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time and geographical location.

Most of the asbestos exposures at work were because of inhalation, but some workers were also exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos attorney. Asbestos is now only found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the degrading of contaminated materials such as insulation, car brakes, clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles.

There is growing evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres are not the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole or serpentine minerals but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in mountains, sandstones and cliffs from a variety of nations.

Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in a variety of ways, including through airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activities like mining and milling demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing materials, and the removal of contaminated dumping soil in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness for people exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung and cause serious health issues. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. The exposure to asbestos can happen in other ways as well like contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, a asbestos' blue form, is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers that are easy to breathe in and can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of asbestos.

The six primary types are chrysotile, amosite and chrysotile. The most well-known forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be present in older structures. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile but still be a risk when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite.

Numerous studies have shown the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't unanimous. 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 have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos may cause mesothelioma and other health issues, but the risks differ based on how much exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used and the duration of their exposure and the manner in the way that it is breathed in or consumed. IARC has stated that the best option for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma or other respiratory diseases and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can form prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral made up of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, but some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains comprise (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips.

Amphiboles are found in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are usually dark-colored and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also have a similar the cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups found in amphibole may be used to identify them.

The five asbestos types in the amphibole class include amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each type of asbestos has distinct characteristics. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite is made up of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lung. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This variety was once used in products like cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques, cannot distinguish between magnesio hornblende and hastingsite. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.