The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

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

You cannot tell if something is asbestos-containing simply by looking at it and you won't be able to smell or taste it. It is only found when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile made up for 99percent of the asbestos made. It was used by many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. If workers were exposed to this harmful substance, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma was first becoming an issue, the use of asbestos has declined significantly. However, trace amounts are still found in the products we use today.

Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling plan in place. Chrysotile handling workers aren't at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at current safe exposure levels. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed both for intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure.

In one study, mortality rates were compared between a manufacturing facility that used a large proportion of chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. It was found that, for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure There was no significant excess mortality in this factory.

Unlike some other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can pass through the lungs, and then pass through the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause ill-health consequences than longer fibres.

It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools.

Research has proven that chrysotile has a lower chance to cause illness than amphibole asbestos like crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole asbestos types have been the primary source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it forms a strong, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Professionals can safely dispose of asbestos fibres after they have been removed.

Amosite

Asbestos refers to a set of silicate minerals with fibrous structure that occur naturally in certain kinds of rock formations. It consists of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).

Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. They are present in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to make vermiculite or talcum powder. They are used extensively as consumer goods, like baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder.

The most extensive use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of the twentieth century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos exposures for work occurred in the air, however some workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry industry, asbestos from era to and geographic location.

The majority of asbestos exposures at work were caused by inhalation, however certain workers were exposed via skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can only be found in the environment due to natural weathering and degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches as well as insulation.

There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't knit like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine, they are loose and flexible, and needle-like. These fibres can be found in mountains, sandstones, and cliffs of a variety of countries.

Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety ways, including through airborne particles. It is also able to leach into water or soil. This can be caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it can also be caused by humans, such as through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibers is the primary cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos claim at work.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most popular way people are exposed to the harmful fibres. They can then enter the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos fibres could be triggered in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This type of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile and therefore easier to breathe. They can also lodge deeper in lung tissues. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos.

The six primary types are chrysotile and amosite. Chrysotile and amosite are among the most frequently used types of asbestos and make up 95% of commercial asbestos that is used. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a risk when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits such as vermiculite and talc.

Many studies have discovered an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. 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, whereas others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, but the risks are different based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used, the duration of their exposure and the way in the way it is inhaled or consumed. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. If you have been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma then you should consult your GP or NHS111.

Amphibole

Amphiboles are groups of minerals that can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral made up of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic system of crystals, however some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons, which are connected in rings of six. The tetrahedrons can be separated from one another by octahedral sites in strips.

Amphibole minerals can be found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. However their chemistry allows an array of compositions. The various amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. While the most commonly used asbestos type is chrysotile; each has distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It has sharp fibers that can be easily breathed into the lung. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials.

Amphibole minerals are challenging to analyze because they have a complex chemical structures and many substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most popular methods of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only give approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.