Write About Everything

The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos

Before it was banned, northfield asbestos lawyer asbestos was widely used in commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.

It is impossible to determine if a product contains asbestos by looking at it, and you cannot smell or taste it. Asbestos is only detected when the substances that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.

Chrysotile

At its peak, chrysotile accounted for the majority of the asbestos production. It was used by many industries, including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they are likely to develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this toxic mineral has decreased drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to spread in the 1960’s. It is still present in a variety of products we use today.

Chrysotile can be used safely when a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. Workers handling chrysotile are not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk based on the current controlled exposure levels. Inhaling airborne fibres is strongly linked to lung fibrosis and lung cancer. This has been proven both for intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.

In one study, mortality rates were compared among a factory which used almost exclusively chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and national death rates. It was found that for 40 years of preparing asbestos chrysotile at a low level of exposure there was no signifi cant increase in mortality in this particular factory.

Chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and enter the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause ill-health consequences than longer fibres.

It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibrous to be airborne or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used in a variety of locations around the world including hospitals and schools.

Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos like amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. These amphibole types are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile mix and cured, a tough and flexible product is created that can withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibers can be easily removed by a professional and then safely eliminated.

Amosite

Asbestos is one of the groups of fibrous silicates found in various types of rock formations. It is classified into six groups including amphibole (serpentine) and the tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.

Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibres that vary in length, ranging from very fine to broad and straight to curled. These fibres are found in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals in order to create talcum powder or vermiculite. These are commonly used as consumer goods, like baby powder, cosmetics and face powder.

The greatest use of north palm beach asbestos occurred in the first two-thirds of the 20th century when it was utilized in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-related exposures in the workplace were in the air, however certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and contaminated vermiculite. Exposures varied according to industry, time period and geographical location.

Asbestos exposure in the workplace is mainly caused by inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed by contact with their skin or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to natural weathering and degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, and insulation.

It is becoming evident that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that don’t form the tightly woven fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries.

palatine asbestos can enter the environment in a variety of ways, including as airborne particles. It can also be released into water or soil. This is 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 surface and ground waters is primarily caused by natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogeny, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibers is the primary cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos in the workplace.

Crocidolite

Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent way people are exposed harmful fibres. They can be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health problems. These include mesothelioma and asbestosis. Exposure to asbestos fibers can be triggered in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers, which are easier to inhale and can lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma related cases than any other type of northfield asbestos lawyer.

The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most commonly used forms of asbestos. They comprise 95 percent of all commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types aren’t as common, but may still be found in older structures. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile but still be a risk when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite.

Numerous studies have proven an association between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos as well as an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent CI: 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills.

IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma, however, the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure, the type of asbestos is involved and how long the exposure lasts. IARC has declared that the best option for people is to avoid all forms of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness such as mesothelioma, or other respiratory ailments and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their doctor or NHS 111.

Amphibole

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

Amphibole minerals are found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and color. They also have a comparable cut. However their chemistry permits the use of a variety of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.

Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five types of asbestos: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has distinct characteristics. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite can range from yellow to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials.

Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most commonly used methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For example, these techniques cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also cannot differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.