The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.

It is not possible to tell by simply looking at something if it is made of asbestos. Also, you cannot taste or smell it. It is only found when the asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up for 99percent of the asbestos produced. It was widely used in industries which included construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became an issue the use of asbestos has decreased significantly. It is still found 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 proven that at the current controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to the people who handle it. 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 intensity (dose) and time span of exposure.

A study that looked at a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials, compared the mortality rates of this factory with national death rates. It was discovered that, for the 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile at a low level of exposure there was no signifi cant additional mortality in this factory.

Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other forms of asbestos legal. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause health consequences than longer fibres.

When chrysotile mixes with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.

Research has proven that amphibole asbestos such as amosite or crocidolite is not as likely than chrysotile to cause diseases. These amphibole types are the main cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand harsh conditions in the weather and other environmental dangers. It is also simple to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and taken away.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a group of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that naturally occur in certain types of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine as well as tremolite, anthophyllite, and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).

Asbestos minerals consist of thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles, or as individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder that are widely used in consumer products like baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.

Asbestos was heavily used in the early two-thirds of the 20th century for construction of ships insulation, fireproofing, insulation and various other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to airborne asbestos fibres, but certain workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied by industry, time and geographical location.

The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually because of inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through contact with skin or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos can only be found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, as well as insulation.

There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibers could 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 fibres can be found in mountains, sandstones, and cliffs from a variety of nations.

Asbestos is able to enter the environment in many ways, including through airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and human-caused (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is mostly due to natural weathering, but has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of illness among people exposed to asbestos case in their job.

Crocidolite

Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed harmful fibres that can then get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to fibers can occur in different ways too including contact with contaminated clothing or materials. This type of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are less dense and more fragile, making them easier to breathe in. They can also be lodged deeper into lung tissues. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.

The main types are chrysotile and amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are among the most commonly used types of asbestos and account for 95 percent of all commercial asbestos that is used. The other four types of asbestos haven't been as popularly used however, they could be present in older buildings. They are less dangerous than amosite and chrysotile, but they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc.

Numerous studies have revealed an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However the evidence is not conclusive. Some researchers have cited a 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 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in mines and chrysotile 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 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 avoid all forms of asbestos should be the top priority since this is the most safe option for people. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma then you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal structure but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons are separated from one another by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips.

Amphibole minerals are common in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark-colored and tough. Because of their similar hardness and color, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from the pyroxenes. They also share a similar cleavage. However, their chemistry allows for a wide range of compositions. The various mineral groups within amphibole are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five asbestos types: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most commonly used asbestos type is chrysotile, each variety has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It has sharp fibers that can easily be breathed into the lung. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This kind of stone was used to create cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles are difficult to analyze because of their complex chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special techniques. The most commonly used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.