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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Before it was banned, asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems. It is difficult to tell if something includes asbestos simply by looking at it and you can't taste or smell it. Asbestos can only be identified when the materials that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped. Chrysotile At its height, chrysotile comprised the majority of the asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries like construction, insulation, and fireproofing. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they may develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Thankfully, the use this harmful mineral has diminished significantly since awareness of mesothelioma began to grow in the 1960's. However, trace amounts are still found in many of the products we use today. Chrysotile is safe to use in the event that you have a complete safety and handling program in place. It has been discovered that, at today's controlled exposure levels, there is no unneeded risk to the people handling it. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have been strongly linked to breathing airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for the intensity (dose) as well as duration of exposure. One study that looked into a facility that used nearly exclusively chrysotile in the production of friction materials, compared mortality rates at this factory with national death rates. It was concluded that for 40 years of processing chrysotile asbestos at low levels of exposure There was no significant excess mortality in this factory. As opposed to other forms of asbestos, chrysotile fibres tend to be smaller. They can enter the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health issues than longer fibres. When chrysotile is mixed with cement, it's very difficult for the fibres to be airborne and cause health hazards. Fibre cement products are used in a variety of locations around the world including hospitals and schools. Research has proven that amphibole asbestos such as amosite, crocidolite, or crocidolite, is less likely than chrysotile in causing diseases. Amphibole types like these are the primary cause of mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases. When the cement and chrysotile are combined, a durable, flexible product is created that can withstand extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. 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 silicate mineral fibrous which are found naturally in a variety of kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and the tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite. Asbestos minerals are composed of thin, long fibers that range in length from fine to broad. They can also be straight or curled. They are found in nature in bundles, or as individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals can be found as a powder (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 baby powder. Asbestos was extensively used in the first two thirds of the 20th century to construct shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however some workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR 2001). baytown asbestos attorney varied from industry to industry, era to era, and geographical location. The exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually because of inhalation. However there have been instances of workers being exposed by contact with their skin or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the air due to natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, and insulation. It is becoming clear that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are the fibres that do not have the tight weaved fibrils of serpentine and amphibole minerals, but instead are loose, flexible and needle-like. These fibres are found in the mountains and cliffs from a variety of countries. Asbestos gets into the environment primarily as airborne particles, but it can also leach into water and soil. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing wastes in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination in surface and ground water is mostly caused by natural weathering. However it is also caused anthropogenically, such as by the milling and mining of asbestos-containing materials, demolition and dispersal, and the disposal of contaminated dumping material in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to asbestos fibres remains the main reason for illness among those exposed to it occupationally. Crocidolite Exposure to asbestos through inhalation is the most frequent way people are exposed to harmful fibres, which could then be inhaled and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibers can also take place in other ways, including contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite fibers are softer and less brittle which makes them more difficult to breathe. They can also lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to more mesothelioma-related cases than other types of asbestos. The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite, epoxiemite, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most well-known asbestos types are epoxiemite as well as chrysotile which together make up 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types aren't as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a danger when mixed with other minerals or when mined close to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite and talc. Numerous studies have revealed an connection between asbestos exposure and stomach cancer. A number of studies have confirmed that asbestos exposure is linked to stomach. However there is no conclusive evidence. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95 percent 95% confidence interval: 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 those working in chrysotile mines and mills. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health issues, but the risks are different based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved as well as the length of their exposure and the method by the way it is inhaled or consumed. IARC has stated that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all forms of asbestos. If you have been exposed in the past to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory disorder or mesothelioma, then you should see your physician or NHS111. Amphibole Amphiboles are groups of minerals that create prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically have a monoclinic crystal system but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains are made up of (Si,Al)O4 tetrahedrons that are linked in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated by strips of octahedral sites. Amphibole minerals are prevalent in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark-colored and tough. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding cleavage pattern. However, their chemistry allows for a wide range of compositions. The various minerals within amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions and crystal structures. Amphibole asbestos includes chrysotile and the five types of asbestos amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most frequently used form of asbestos is chrysotile. Each variety has its own unique characteristics. Crocidolite is among the most dangerous asbestos kind. It contains sharp fibers that are easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite is yellowish to brown in color and is composed of magnesium and iron. This kind of material was used to create cement and insulation materials. Amphiboles are difficult to analyse due to their complicated chemical structure and the numerous substitutions. A thorough analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals requires special methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These techniques, for example can't distinguish between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. These techniques also do not differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.