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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems. You cannot tell if something includes asbestos by looking at it, and you won't be able to smell or taste it. It is only discovered when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken. Chrysotile At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 99% of the asbestos created. It was widely used in industries including construction insulation, fireproofing, as well as insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses. Thankfully, the use of this dangerous mineral has decreased dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to spread in the 1960's. It is still present in many products we use in the present. Chrysotile is safe to use provided you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. It has been found that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to the people working with it. Inhaling airborne fibers has been linked with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed for both the intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure. In one study, mortality rates were compared among a factory that used a large proportion of chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and national death rates. The study found that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory. As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be shorter. They can pass through the lungs and enter the bloodstream. This makes them more likely to cause ill-health effects than fibrils with a longer length. It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres be in the air or pose a health risk when mixed with cement. The fibre cement products are used extensively throughout the world, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools. Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos, such as amosite or crocidolite is less likely than chrysotile to cause disease. These amphibole kinds have been the main cause of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile and cement are mixed with cement, a tough, flexible product is created which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and then safely removed. Amosite Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973). Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibres that range in length from extremely fine to wide and straight to curled. These fibers are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals in order to create vermiculite or talcum powder. These are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder, cosmetics and face powder. The greatest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of the 20th century in the period when it was employed in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos fibres occurred in the air, however some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied by industry, time period, and geographic location. The majority of asbestos exposures at work were because of inhalation, but some workers were also exposed via skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only found in the environment due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, and insulation. There is growing evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that don't form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres are found in the cliffs and mountains of several countries. Asbestos may enter the environment in many ways, including in the form of airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is largely associated with natural weathering, but it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities like mining and milling, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Exposure to asbestos-containing airborne fibres is still the primary cause of illness among people who are exposed to asbestos on a daily basis. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other illnesses are caused by asbestos fibres. The exposure to asbestos fibres could occur in different ways, such as contact with contaminated clothes or building materials. The dangers of exposure are higher when crocidolite, a asbestos' blue form, is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to breathe in and may lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other asbestos types. The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile, which together make up the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types aren't as common, but may still be found in older structures. pharr asbestos lawyer are not as hazardous as amosite and chrysotile. However, they could pose a threat when mixed with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite. Numerous studies have shown the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. However there is no conclusive evidence. Some researchers have cited an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos and others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% CI: 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills. IARC The IARC, also known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all types of asbestos carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos may cause mesothelioma or other health problems, but the risks differ based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved, the duration of their exposure and the method by the way it is inhaled or ingested. The IARC has advised that avoid all forms of asbestos is the most important thing to do, as this is the safest option for those who are exposed. If you have been exposed to asbestos and suffer from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma condition, then you should see your physician or NHS111. Amphibole Amphibole is a group of minerals that form long prisms or needlelike crystals. They are a type inosilicate mineral made up of two chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, but certain crystals have an orthorhombic form. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains consist of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons that are joined in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated each other by octahedral sites in strips. Amphibole minerals are prevalent in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are typically dark-colored and tough. Due to their similarity in strength and color, they may be difficult for some people to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also have a similar the cleavage. Their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The different minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures. Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five asbestos types: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. Each kind of asbestos has its own unique properties. The most hazardous type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite has a brownish to yellowish color and is composed mostly of iron and magnesium. The variety was used previously in cement and insulation materials. Amphibole minerals are hard to analyze due to their an intricate chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.