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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Before it was banned asbestos was used in thousands commercial products. Research suggests that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues. It is impossible to determine if a product includes asbestos by looking at it and you won't be able to taste or smell it. It is only visible when the asbestos-containing materials are chipped, drilled or broken. Chrysotile At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of the asbestos produced. It was used in many industries, including construction insulation, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. Thankfully, the use this harmful mineral has diminished dramatically since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. However, it is still present in trace amounts. are still found in many of the products we use in the present. Chrysotile can be used safely with a well-thought-out safety and handling plan is put in place. People who handle chrysotile do not exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at current limits of exposure. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma are all linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for both intensity (dose) and the duration of exposure. In one study, mortality rates were compared between a facility which used largely chlorosotile to make friction materials and national death rates. It was found that, over the course of 40 years, processing asbestos chrysotile in 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 shorter. They can pass through the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than longer fibres. When chrysotile mixes with cement, it is extremely difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose any health risk. Fibre cement products are extensively used across the globe, especially in buildings like hospitals and schools. Research has shown that chrysotile is less prone to cause illness than amphibole asbestos like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole types have been the most common cause of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it forms a strong, flexible building product that is able to withstand severe conditions in the weather and other environmental hazards. It is also simple to clean after use. Professionals can safely eliminate asbestos fibres when they have been removed. Amosite Asbestos is a term used to describe a class of silicate minerals with fibrous structure which are found naturally in a variety of types of rock formations. It is composed of six general groups: amphibole, serpentine, tremolite, anthophyllite and crocidolite (IARC 1973). Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibers that vary in length from extremely thin to broad and straight to curled. These fibres are found in nature in the form of individual fibrils or bundles that have splaying ends, referred to as fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc), or combined with other minerals to form vermiculite or talcum powder. These are widely used in consumer products including baby powder, cosmetics and facial powder. Asbestos was used extensively in the early two-thirds of the 20th century to construct construction of ships, insulation, fireproofing, and other construction materials. Most occupational exposures were to asbestos fibres that were borne in the air, but some workers were exposed to contaminated vermiculite or talc as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied from industry industry, era to era and even geographical location. Asbestos exposure in the workplace is usually because of inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through contact with skin or eating food that is contaminated. Asbestos can be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated like ceiling and floor tiles automobile brakes and clutches, and insulation. There is growing evidence that amphibole fibres from non-commercial sources could also be carcinogenic. They are not tightly weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine but are instead loose elastic, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones in a variety of countries. Asbestos can enter the environment in many ways, such as in airborne particles. It is also able to leach into water or soil. This can be caused by natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and anthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is largely associated with natural weathering. However, it has also been triggered by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining, demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials, and the removal of contaminated dumping soil in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of disease among those exposed to it in their job. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most common way people are exposed to dangerous fibres, which can then get into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Mesothelioma, asbestosis and other illnesses can be caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibres can occur in different ways too, such as contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This kind of exposure is more dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite is smaller and more fragile fibers, which are easier to breathe in and can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other types of asbestos. The main kinds are chrysotile and amosite. The most commonly used forms of asbestos are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos used. The other four asbestos types are not as widespread, but they can still be found in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile, however they could be a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals or mined close to other mineral deposits, like vermiculite or talc. A number of studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. The evidence is not conclusive. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, whereas others report an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those working in chrysotile mills and mines. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. bellflower asbestos lawyer of asbestos could cause mesothelioma or other health issues, but the risk is dependent on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the type of asbestos used as well as the length of their exposure, and the manner in which it is breathed in or ingested. The IARC has advised that the prevention of all asbestos types should be the top priority as it is the most secure option for individuals. However, if a person has been exposed to asbestos in the past and are suffering from an illness such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments it is recommended that they seek advice from their GP or NHS 111. Amphibole Amphiboles are a collection of minerals that form prism-like and needle-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. 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 are composed of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons that are joined in rings of six. The tetrahedrons are separated from one another with octahedral strips. Amphiboles occur in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are usually dark and hard. Because of their similar hardness and colour, they can be difficult for some to distinguish from pyroxenes. They also share a similar pattern of cleavage. Their chemistry permits a wide range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structures of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to determine their composition. Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five asbestos types: amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most popular asbestos type is chrysotile, each variety is unique in its own way. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers that can easily be inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish hue and is made mostly of iron and magnesium. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials. Amphiboles can be difficult to study due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a thorough analysis of their composition requires special methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods of identifying amphiboles. These methods can only provide approximate identifications. These methods, for instance cannot differentiate between magnesio hastingsite and magnesio hastingsite. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro hornblende and pargasite.