The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products prior to when it was banned. springfield asbestos lawsuit has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues.
It is impossible to tell just by looking at a thing if it's made of asbestos. You cannot smell or taste it. It is only discovered when the asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile accounted for the majority of asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction, insulation, and fireproofing. However, if workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic material, they could contract mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma first became a problem, the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. However, trace amounts of it are still present in products that we use today.
Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to a significant amount of risk at the present controlled exposure levels. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma were all associated with breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven both for intensity (dose) as and the duration of exposure.
One study that examined an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials compared the mortality rates of this factory with national death rates. The study found that after 40 years of processing at low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant increase in mortality rates at this facility.
Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibers tend to be smaller. They can penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer.
When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are extensively used in various parts of the world, including schools and hospitals.
Research has revealed that chrysotile is less likely to cause disease than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole varieties are the primary source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile and cement are mixed with cement, a tough product is produced which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean up after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional, and then taken away.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates that are found in certain types of rock formations. It is classified into six groups: amphibole (serpentine), tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibres that vary in length, ranging from very fine to broad and straight to curled. These fibers are found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can also be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite which are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder, and baby powder.
The largest use of asbestos occurred in the first two-thirds of the 20th century when it was utilized in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, but certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied by industry, time, and geographic location.
The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is mostly because of inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed by contact with their skin or eating contaminated foods. Asbestos is currently only found in the the natural weathering of mined minerals and deterioration of contaminated products like insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence to suggest that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly woven like the fibrils found in serpentine and amphibole, they are loose, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones of many countries.
Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is typically a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activities like milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials as well as the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most commonly used method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs which can cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to the fibres can occur in different ways, like contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite, a blue form of asbestos is involved. Crocidolite fibers are thinner and more fragile and therefore easier to inhale. They can also get deeper within lung tissues. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma cases than any other type of asbestos.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are among the most commonly used forms of asbestos and make up 95 percent of all commercial asbestos currently used. The other four have not been as widely used however they can be found in older buildings. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile, however they may pose a danger when combined with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite.
Numerous studies have proven that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited a SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.
IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all kinds of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however the risks differ based on how much exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. IARC has stated that the best option for people is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases They should seek advice from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prisms or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system but some also 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 by strips of octahedral sites.
Amphibole minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark and hard. Due to their similarity in hardness and colour, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from the pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding Cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a variety of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups in amphibole could be used to identify them.
The five types of asbestos belonging to the amphibole family are chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite, and actinolite. Each type of asbestos comes with its own distinct properties. Crocidolite is the most dangerous asbestos type. It is made up of sharp fibers that can be easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish hue and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in cement-based products and insulation materials.
Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized methods. The most popular methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also cannot distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.