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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Before it was banned, asbestos was widely used in commercial products. According research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health problems. You cannot tell if something is asbestos-containing 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 up for 95% of the asbestos created. It was employed in many industries including construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. In the event that workers were exposed to this toxic substance, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, trace amounts of it are still found in many of the products we use today. Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner when a thorough safety and handling plan is in place. It has been proven that at the present exposure levels, there is no undue risk to the workers handling it. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma were all linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed for both the intensity (dose) and time span of exposure. In one study mortality rates were compared among a factory which used largely Chrysotile for the production of friction materials and national death rates. The study concluded that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory. Contrary to other types of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues over longer fibres. It is very difficult for chrysotile fibres be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products have been used extensively throughout the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools. Research has proven that amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite or amosite is less likely to cause disease. Amphibole types like these are the main cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is combined with cement, it creates a strong, flexible construction product that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions and other environmental dangers. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and then safely removed. Amosite Asbestos is a term used to describe a class of silicate mineral fibrous which are found naturally in a variety of kinds of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973). Asbestos minerals are made up of long, thin fibers that vary in length from extremely thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres are found in nature as individual fibrils, or as bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to make vermiculite or talcum powder. They are used extensively in consumer products, including baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder. The heaviest use of asbestos occurred in the early two-thirds of the 20th century where it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed contaminated vermiculite or talc as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry to industry, era to and also from geographical location. The majority of asbestos exposures at work were caused by inhalation, however some workers were also exposed by skin contact or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is only present in the environment due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the degrading of contaminated materials such as insulation, car brakes, clutches as well as ceiling and floor tiles. It is becoming apparent that non-commercial amphibole fibers can also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that are not the tightly knit fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers are found in the mountains and cliffs in a variety of countries. Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it also leaches into soil and water. This can be triggered 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 in ground and surface waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogeny, such as through milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Airborne asbestos fibres are the primary reason for illness among those exposed to asbestos during their job. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most common way people are exposed harmful fibres, which could be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibers can be experienced in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are higher when crocidolite, a asbestos in the blue form is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are more easy to breathe in and can get deeper in lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma related cases than any other form of asbestos. The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite and actinolite. The most well-known asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types are not as widespread, but they can still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than chrysotile and amosite, but they can pose a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals or when mined close to other naturally occurring mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc. A number of studies have demonstrated an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. The evidence isn't unanimous. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers. However, others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines and mills. IARC The IARC, which is the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all forms of asbestos carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risks vary depending on the amount of exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved, and the length of time that exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that the prevention of all asbestos types is the best option, as this is the most safe option for individuals. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma or other respiratory illnesses, they should seek guidance from their physician or NHS 111. Amphibole Amphibole belongs to a group of minerals that form long prism or needlelike crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system however, some have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains comprise (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a ring of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated from each other with octahedral strips. Amphibole minerals are prevalent in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark and hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes due to their similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry can allow for a variety of compositions. The different mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures. The five asbestos types belonging to the amphibole family are amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, and actinolite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite ranges from brown to yellowish in color and is composed of iron and magnesium. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials. Amphibole minerals are hard to study because of their complex chemical structures and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. The most widely used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. houston asbestos attorneys , for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also don't distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.