The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

You cannot tell by just looking at a thing if it contains asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. It is only visible in the event that asbestos-containing products are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its height, chrysotile provided for asbestos attorney 95% of the asbestos produced. It was used in many industries, including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. However, if workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became a major concern, the use of asbestos has decreased significantly. However, trace amounts remain in many of the products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is in place. It has been found that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers who handle the substance. Inhaling airborne fibres has been found to be strongly linked with lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven for the intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.

In one study mortality rates were compared between a factory which used largely chlorosotile to make friction materials and the national death rate. The study found that, after 40 years of manufacturing low levels of chrysotile there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.

In contrast to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres to be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. The fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world particularly in buildings like hospitals and schools.

Studies have shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole columbiana asbestos lawsuit, like amosite and crocidolite. Amphibole types like these are the primary 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 the most extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also 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 that are found in a variety of rock formations. It consists of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC, 1973).

Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that range in length from very fine to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles with splaying ends referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc) or combined with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. These are widely used as consumer goods, such as baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.

The greatest asbestos use was during the first two-thirds period of the 20th century where it was used in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but certain workers were exposed to contaminated vermiculite or talc and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era to era and also from geographical location.

Asbestos exposure at work is mostly due to inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed through contact with skin or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is now only found in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches, as well as floor and ceiling tiles.

There is emerging evidence that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres don't form the tightly woven fibrils of the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the cliffs and mountains in a variety of countries.

Asbestos can be found in the environment as airborne particles, but it can also leach into soil and water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is mostly a result of natural weathering, but has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as mining and milling demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing materials, and the removal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR 2001). The inhalation of asbestos fibers is the primary reason for illness among those exposed to it occupationally.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most popular way people are exposed to the dangerous fibres, which can then get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to the fibres can occur in different ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The risks of exposure are greater when crocidolite which is the asbestos in the blue form is involved. Crocidolite fibers are thinner and more fragile which makes them more difficult to breathe. They can also get deeper within lung tissues. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other asbestos types.

The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most commonly used types of asbestos. They comprise 95 percent of all asbestos used in commercial construction. The other four farmington asbestos lawyer types aren't as widespread, but they can still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile. However, they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.

Numerous studies have shown the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mills and mines.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however the risks differ based on how much exposure, what type of asbestos is involved and the length of time that exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority as it is the most secure option for those who are exposed. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their GP or NHS 111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral that is composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some exhibit an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are composed of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons, which are connected in rings of six. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphibole minerals can be found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes because they have similar hardness and colors. They also have a similar the cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to identify them.

Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile; each has its own unique characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is made up of sharp fibers that can easily be inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish hue and is comprised primarily of magnesium and iron. This kind of stone was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. The most popular methods for identifying amphiboles is EDS, WDS, and asbestos Law XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. Additionally, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.