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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products before it was banned. According to research, asbestos exposure can cause cancer and many other health problems. You can't tell if something has asbestos just simply by looking at it and you won't be able to taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detected when materials containing it are broken, drilled, or chipped. Chrysotile At its peak, chrysotile made the majority of asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries, including construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. If workers were exposed to this toxic material, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this toxic mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. It is still present in many of the products we use in the present. Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. It has been found that at the present exposure levels, there is no danger to those working with it. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma were all connected 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 which used almost exclusively Chrysotile in the production of friction materials and the national death rate. It was found that, for the 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile at low levels of exposure There was no significant increase in mortality in this particular factory. Chrysotile fibers are generally shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than fibres with longer lengths. When chrysotile is mixed into cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to breathe and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools. Research has revealed that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole types are the primary cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When the cement and chrysotile are combined and cured, a tough and flexible material is created that is able to stand up to extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean up after use. Professionals can safely dispose of asbestos fibres after they have been removed. Amosite Asbestos refers to a group of fibrous silicate minerals that occur naturally in certain kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: amphibole, serpentine anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973). Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can be curled or straight. They are found in nature as individual fibrils or as bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc), or mixed with other minerals to make talcum powder or vermiculite. These are commonly used in consumer products, like baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder. Asbestos was heavily used in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed to vermiculite or talc that was contaminated, and to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied by the type of industry, the time period and geographic location. Most asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was caused by inhalation, however certain workers were exposed through contact with skin or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the air due to the natural weathering of mined ore and the degrading of contaminated materials such as insulation, car brakes, clutches and ceiling and floor tiles. It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that don't form the tightly interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. They can be found in cliffs, mountains and sandstones of a variety of countries. Asbestos enters the environment mainly as airborne particles, but it also leaches into soil and water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic causes (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 through the mining and milling of asbestos-containing materials demolition and dispersal and the disposal of contaminated waste in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness among people exposed to asbestos at work. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lung and cause serious health issues. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to the fibres can be triggered in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The risks of exposure are more pronounced when crocidolite (the asbestos in the blue form is involved. rancho cucamonga asbestos law firm are thinner and more fragile which makes them more difficult to inhale. They can also lodge deeper inside lung tissues. It has been linked to more mesothelioma cases than other asbestos types. The six major kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most commonly used forms of asbestos are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types aren't as widespread, but they can still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than chrysotile and amosite, but they may pose a danger when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc. A number of studies have demonstrated an association between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. The evidence isn't unanimous. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% range of CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for workers working in chrysotile mining and mills. IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All forms of asbestos could cause mesothelioma or other health issues, although the risks vary according to how much exposure individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved and the duration of their exposure and the way in which it is inhaled or ingested. The IARC has advised that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the highest priority, as this is the most safe option for people. If you've been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma then you should consult your GP or NHS111. Amphibole Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They are a monoclinic system of crystals, however certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. Double chains contain (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons may be separated by strips of octahedral sites. Amphiboles are found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark and hard. Because of their similar hardness and color, they may be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also share a similar cleavage pattern. Their chemistry allows for a range of compositions. The different amphibole mineral groups are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures. The five types of asbestos in the amphibole family include amosite, anthophyllite and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. Each type of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most dangerous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials. Amphibole minerals can be difficult to analyze because they have an intricate chemical structure and 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 provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques cannot differentiate between magnesio-hastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.