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, as well as other health issues.
It is difficult to tell if something has asbestos just by looking at it and you cannot smell or taste it. It is only found when materials containing asbestos are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile accounted for the majority of the asbestos produced. victorville asbestos lawyer was employed in a variety of industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. Unfortunately, if workers were exposed to this toxic material, they could develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to grow in the 1960's. It is still found in many of the products we use today.
Chrysotile can be used safely when a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk based on the current safe exposure levels. Inhaling airborne fibres is strongly linked to lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven to be true for both the intensity (dose) and time of exposure.
In one study mortality rates were compared between a factory that primarily used chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. The study concluded that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile there was no significant rise in mortality rates at this facility.
Unlike some other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be shorter. They are able to enter the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues over longer fibres.
When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose health risks. Fibre cement products are widely used in various parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.
Research has shown that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is less likely than chrysotile to cause disease. Amphibole asbestos types have been the most common cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix with cement, a tough, flexible product is created which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely get rid of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.
Amosite
Asbestos refers to a group of silicate fibrous minerals that occur naturally in certain kinds of rock formations. It is divided into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine), Tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that range in length from extremely 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 a powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals in order to create vermiculite or talcum powder. These are commonly used as consumer products, like baby powder, cosmetics, and even face powder.
Asbestos was used extensively in the first two thirds of the 20th century for construction of ships insulation, fireproofing and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures involved asbestos fibres in the air, however certain workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry to industry, era era and also from geographical location.
The majority of asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was because of inhalation, but certain workers were exposed through contact with skin or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to natural weathering and the degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches as well as insulation.
There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that don't form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.
Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in a variety ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into water or soil. This can be due to both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic causes (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is typically a result of natural weathering, but it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities like mining and milling demolition and dispersal asbestos-containing materials as well as the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main reason for illness among those who are exposed to it during their occupation.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed harmful fibres, which could be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos can happen in other ways, too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are greater when crocidolite, the asbestos that is blue is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers, which are easier to breathe and can be lodged deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos types.
The six primary kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most common asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are not as hazardous as chrysotile and amosite, but they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc.
Numerous studies have proven an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, and others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mills and mines.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma however the risks differ based on how much exposure, what kind of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos is the best option, as this is the best option for individuals. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma then you should see your physician or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate minerals made of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually have a monoclinic structure in their crystals, although some have 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 linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated one another with octahedral strips.
Amphiboles occur in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding pattern of cleavage. Their chemistry permits a wide range of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures.
Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five asbestos types amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each kind of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. Crocidolite is among the most dangerous asbestos kind. It is composed of sharp fibers which are easily inhaled into the lungs. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is made up of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are a challenge to analyze due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. An in-depth analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance, cannot distinguish between magnesio hornblende and magnesio hastingsite. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.