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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. According to research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and a host of other health problems. It is not possible to tell by simply looking at a thing if it is made up of asbestos. Also, you cannot taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be detected when materials containing it are broken, drilled, or chipped. Chrysotile At its peak, chrysotile accounted for 99percent of the asbestos made. It was employed in a variety of industries like construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers were exposed to this harmful material, they could develop mesothelioma or other asbestos related diseases. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma began to become an issue the use of asbestos has been drastically reduced. It is still found in a variety of products we use today. Chrysotile can be used in a safe manner with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is put into place. People who handle chrysotile do not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk based on the current limits of exposure. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma are all linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been confirmed in terms of intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure. In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and national death rates. It was found that, for 40 years of processing asbestos chrysotile in low levels of exposure, there was no significant increase in mortality in this particular factory. Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They are able to penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems than fibres with longer lengths. When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to become airborne and pose health risks. murfreesboro asbestos attorneys are widely utilized in many areas of the world including hospitals and schools. Research has revealed that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause disease than amphibole asbestos such as amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole forms have been the primary cause of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is mixed in with cement, it creates a tough, flexible building product that can withstand harsh weather conditions and other environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres are easily removed by a professional and safely taken away. Amosite Asbestos refers to a set of silicate mineral fibrous that occur naturally in certain kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC, 1973). Asbestos minerals comprise long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can also be curled or straight. They can be found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can also be found as a powder (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder which are widely used in consumer products such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder, and baby powder. Asbestos was heavily used in the first two thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing and various other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures involved asbestos fibres borne by air, but some workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite and also to fragments of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied by industry, time and geographic location. Asbestos exposure in the workplace is mostly because of inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed via skin contact or through eating foods contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to the natural weathering of mined minerals and the deterioration of products contaminated with asbestos such as insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles. There is evidence to suggest that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that do not have the tight knit fibrils of the serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs of several countries. Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, including through airborne particles. It can also be absorbed into soil or water. This can be triggered by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rock) and anthropogenic causes (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of 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 dumping materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres is still the primary cause of illness for people exposed to it occupationally. Crocidolite Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most common way people are exposed dangerous fibres, which can then enter the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to the fibres can also take place in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of exposure are greater when crocidolite which is the asbestos that is blue is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers, which are easier to breathe and can be lodged deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with a higher number of mesothelioma-related cases than any other type of asbestos. The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are the most commonly used types of asbestos and make up 95% of commercial asbestos currently used. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less dangerous than amosite or chrysotile but still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits like talc and vermiculite. Numerous studies have demonstrated the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have reported an overall SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent of the time CI: 0.7-3.6) for all workers exposed to asbestos while other studies have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95 percent of the CI = 0.76-2.5) for those working in chrysotile mines and mills. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types 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 exposure lasts. The IARC has recommended that abstaining from all asbestos forms is the most important thing to do since this is the safest option for people. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and suffer 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 an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic structure in their crystals however some may have an orthorhombic structure. 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 can be separated from one another with octahedral strips. Amphiboles occur in metamorphic and igneous rock. They are typically dark and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and color. They also have a similar cleavage. Their chemistry can allow for a variety of compositions. The various mineral groups within amphibole are identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures. Amphibole asbestos consists of chrysotile, and the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each kind of asbestos has its own unique properties. The most harmful type of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to inhale into the lungs. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish hue and is comprised mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials. Amphibole minerals are difficult to analyze due to their an intricate chemical structure and many substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most widely used methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende and pargasite.