The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. According research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and many other health issues.
You cannot tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it and you cannot smell or taste it. Asbestos can only be detected when the material containing it is broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 90% of the asbestos produced. It was widely used in industries including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma became an issue the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. It is still present in many products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use in the event that you have a complete safety and handling program in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at current limits of exposure. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly connected to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure.
In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. It was concluded that for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure There was no significant excess mortality in this factory.
As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than longer fibres.
When chrysotile mixes with cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are widely used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools.
Research has revealed that amphibole asbestos like amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. Amphibole asbestos types have been the most common source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it forms a tough, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional, and then removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that naturally occur in certain types of rock formations. It is divided into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibres that range in length, ranging from very fine to broad and straight to curled. They are found in nature in bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals are also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder and are used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
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 involved asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to vermiculite or talc that was contaminated, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era to and geographic location.
Most asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was because of inhalation, but some workers were also exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and the degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches as well as insulation.
It is becoming apparent 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 fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This is a result of both natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and ananthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is typically a result of natural weathering, but has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials, and the removal of contaminated dumping soil in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the most significant cause of disease among those exposed to it in their job.
Crocidolite
Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed harmful fibres. They can then get into the lungs and cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in different ways too including contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, a asbestos' blue form is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense 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 types of asbestos.
north richland hills asbestos attorneys of asbestos are chrysotile amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most common forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as extensively used but they can be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than chrysotile or amosite but can still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other naturally occurring mineral deposits like vermiculite and talc.
Numerous studies have shown an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited a 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% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risk is different based on how much exposure, what type of asbestos is involved, and how long exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that abstaining from all asbestos forms is the most important thing to do as it is the safest option for people. If you've been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from respiratory issues or mesothelioma, then you should see your physician or NHS111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles comprise a variety of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal structure however some may have 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 rings of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons can be separated by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphiboles are present in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark and hard. Due to their similarity of hardness and color, they could be difficult for some people to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding the cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the various mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition.
Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five asbestos types amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each kind of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most harmful type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This type of stone was once used in cement and insulation materials.
Amphibole minerals are difficult to analyze because they have complex chemical structures and numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. These techniques, for example, cannot distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.