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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Asbestos was found in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Studies have shown 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 can't taste or smell it. It is only visible when the asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken. Chrysotile At its peak, chrysotile accounted for up 99% of the asbestos production. It was widely used in industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. In the event that workers were exposed to this harmful substance, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos related diseases. Fortunately, the use of this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to grow in the 1960's. However, it is still present in trace amounts. are still present in the products we use in the present. Chrysotile can be safely used in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been proven that, at the present controlled exposure levels, there is no danger to the people working with it. The inhalation of airborne fibres has been linked with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been proven for both the intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure. In one study, mortality rates were compared between a factory that primarily used chrysotile in the manufacture of friction materials and the national death rate. The study concluded that, after 40 years of processing low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality in this factory. Chrysotile fibres are usually shorter than other types of asbestos. They can pass through the lungs, and then pass through the bloodstream. This makes them more prone to cause negative effects than fibrils with a longer length. It is very difficult for chrysotile fibers to be a threat to the air or pose any health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used in many parts of the world including hospitals and schools. Research has shown that chrysotile has a lower chance to cause disease than amphibole asbestos, such as amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole types have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it creates a strong, flexible building product that can withstand the most extreme conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Professionals can safely remove asbestos fibres once they have been removed. Amosite Asbestos is a class of fibrous silicates found in a variety of rock formations. It consists of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973). Asbestos minerals consist of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to wide. They can also be straight or curled. These fibres are found in nature as individual fibrils or bundles with splaying ends called fibril matrix. Asbestos minerals are also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite which are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other. Asbestos was used extensively in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding as well as insulation, fireproofing and various other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were airborne asbestos fibres, but some workers were exposed toxic talc or vermiculite and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era era, and geographical location. The majority of asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was due to inhalation, but certain workers were exposed through skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos is only found in the natural environment due to natural weathering and degradation of contaminated products like ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches, and insulation. There is evidence emerging that amphibole fibers that are not commercially available could also be carcinogenic. These are fibres do not have the tight knit fibrils of the amphibole and serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibres can be found in the mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones from a variety of nations. Asbestos can be absorbed into the environment in many ways, including as airborne particles. It can also leach out into water or soil. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes in landfill sites) sources. lakewood asbestos lawyer in ground and surface waters is primarily caused by natural weathering. However it can also be caused by human activity, for instance 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 airborne asbestos fibres is the most common cause of illness for people exposed to it occupationally. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most popular way people are exposed to harmful fibres that can then get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. This includes asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can occur in a variety of ways including contact with contaminated clothing or materials. This type of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are smaller and more fragile making them more palatable to inhale. They can also get deeper in lung tissues. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos. The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite anthophyllite and actinolite. The most popular asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos used. The other four forms haven't been as extensively used but they can be found in older buildings. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile but still pose a threat when mixed with other minerals or when mined near other mineral deposits, such as talc and vermiculite. Numerous studies have proven the connection between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have cited a SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, whereas others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All asbestos types can cause mesothelioma but the risks vary depending on how much exposure is taken, what type of asbestos is involved and how long exposure lasts. The IARC has advised that the prevention of all asbestos types is the most important thing to do, as this is the most secure option for people. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from a disease such as mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases it is recommended that they seek advice from their GP or NHS 111. Amphibole Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of silicate mineral composed of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They have a monoclinic structure of crystals, 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 rings of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated by octahedral strips. Amphibole minerals can be found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark-colored and are hard. Due to their similarity in strength and color, they may be difficult for some to differentiate from the pyroxenes. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. However their chemistry allows a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the various mineral groups in amphibole could be used to identify them. The five asbestos types that belong to the amphibole group include amosite, anthophyllite as well as crocidolite and actinolite. Each type of asbestos has its own distinctive properties. The most harmful type of asbestos, crocidolite, is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This variety was once used in products such as cement and insulation materials. Amphiboles are a challenge to analyze because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special techniques. The most widely used methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. These techniques, for instance, cannot distinguish between magnesio-hornblende and hastingsite. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.