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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Before it was banned asbestos was used in a myriad of commercial products. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer as well as other health issues. You cannot tell by just looking at something whether it is made of asbestos. Neither can you taste or smell it. It is only found when materials containing asbestos are chipped, drilled or broken. Chrysotile At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries such as construction, fireproofing, and insulation. In the event that workers were exposed for long periods to this toxic material, they may develop mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this harmful mineral has diminished drastically since mesothelioma awareness started to increase in the 1960's. It is still present in many of the products we use today. Chrysotile can be safely used in the event that a thorough safety and handling plan is put in place. Personnel handling chrysotile aren't exposed to an unreasonable amount of risk at the current controlled exposure levels. Lung cancer, lung fibrosis and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly associated with breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven to be true for both the intensity (dose) and time span of exposure. One study that examined the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials, compared mortality rates at this factory with national death rates. napa asbestos lawsuit revealed that after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant rise in mortality rates at this facility. Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other forms of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and even enter the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health problems than fibres that are longer. It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are widely used in various parts of the world including hospitals and schools. Research has demonstrated that amphibole asbestos like amosite or crocidolite is not as likely to cause disease. These amphibole kinds have been the main source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile gets mixed with cement, it forms an extremely durable and 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 then safely removed. Amosite Asbestos refers to a group of silicate fibrous minerals that are found naturally in specific kinds of rock formations. It is comprised of six main groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite (IARC 1973). Asbestos minerals comprise thin, long fibers that vary in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. They are present in nature as individual fibrils or bundles with splaying edges called fibril matrix. Asbestos is also found in a powder form (talc) or combined with other minerals to form vermiculite or talcum powder. They are used extensively as consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics and facial powder. The greatest asbestos use was during the first two-thirds period of the twentieth century in the period when it was employed in shipbuilding, insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace occurred in the air, but certain workers were also exposed to asbestos-bearing rock fragments and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied from industry industry, from era to and geographic location. The majority of asbestos exposures at work were because of inhalation, but some workers were also exposed through contact with skin or by eating food contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of contaminated materials, such as ceiling and floor tiles as well as car brakes and clutches, as well as insulation. There is growing evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibres that don't form the tightly weaved fibrils of amphibole or serpentine minerals but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones of a variety of countries. Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety ways, including through airborne particles. It is also able to leach into soil or water. This can be due to both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes and disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination in ground and surface waters is primarily due to natural weathering. However it can also be 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). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos in their occupation. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure to asbestos is the most frequent way people are exposed to harmful fibres, which could be absorbed into the lungs and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos fibres can also take place in other ways, like contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. This kind of exposure is particularly dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite has smaller, more fragile fibers that are easier to inhale and can lodge deeper into lung tissue. It has been associated with more mesothelioma cancer cases than other types of asbestos. The six primary types are chrysotile and amosite. The most well-known asbestos types are epoxiemite and chrysotile which together comprise the majority of commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types aren't as prevalent, but could still be present in older structures. They aren't as hazardous as amosite or chrysotile, but they can still be a danger when mixed with other minerals, or when mined near other mineral deposits such as talc and vermiculite. Several studies have found an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. Several studies have found a link between asbestos exposure and stomach. However the evidence isn't conclusive. Certain researchers have reported an SMR (standardized mortality ratio) of 1.5 (95% CI: 0.7-3.6) for all asbestos-related workers, while others have reported an SMR of 1.24 (95% C.I. 0.76-2.5) for workers in chrysotile mines and mills. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified all forms of asbestos as carcinogenic. All forms of asbestos could cause mesothelioma as well as other health issues, although the risks are different based on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used, the duration of their exposure and the method by which it is inhaled or consumed. IARC has declared that the best option for individuals is to stay clear of all forms of asbestos. If you've been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from a respiratory illness or mesothelioma condition, then you should consult your GP or NHS111. Amphibole Amphiboles are a collection of minerals which can form prism-like or needle-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral composed of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They typically possess a monoclinic crystal system 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 linked together in rings of six tetrahedrons. Tetrahedrons are distinguished from one another by octahedral sites that are surrounded by strips. Amphibole minerals can be found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are typically dark-colored and hard. They can be difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a similar cleavage pattern. However their chemistry permits an array of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to identify them. The five types of asbestos that belong to the amphibole group include amosite, anthophyllite and chrysotile, crocidolite, and actinolite. Each kind of asbestos has its own unique properties. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are simple to breathe into the lung. Anthophyllite is brown to yellowish in color and is composed of iron and magnesium. 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. A detailed analysis of the composition of amphibole mineral requires specialized techniques. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. These techniques also don't differentiate between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.