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The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos Asbestos was used in a variety of commercial products before it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems. It is difficult to tell if something contains asbestos by looking at it, and you are unable to smell or taste it. It is only discovered in the event that asbestos-containing products are drilled, chipped or broken. Chrysotile At the height of its use, chrysotile made up 99% of asbestos production. It was used by many industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing, and construction. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they can develop mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. Fortunately, the use this dangerous mineral has decreased significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. It is still found in many of the products we use today. Chrysotile is safe to use when you have a thorough safety and handling program in place. People who handle chrysotile do not at risk of being exposed to a high degree of risk at the present safe exposure levels. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma have all been found to be strongly linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven for the intensity (dose) as well as the duration of exposure. One study that looked into an industrial facility that used almost exclusively chrysotile for manufacturing friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national death rates. The study found that after 40 years of manufacturing 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 penetrate the lungs and then enter the bloodstream. They are more likely to cause health problems over longer fibres. When bolingbrook asbestos attorneys gets mixed with cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to air-borne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are used in various parts of the world including hospitals and schools. Research has shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause disease than amphibole asbestos like amosite and crocidolite. These amphibole forms have been the primary cause of mesothelioma and various asbestos-related illnesses. When chrysotile and cement are mixed with cement, a tough, flexible product is created which is able to withstand the most extreme weather conditions and environmental hazards. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and safely taken away. Amosite Asbestos is a category of silicate mineral fibrous that naturally occur in certain kinds of rock formations. It is classified into six groups that include amphibole (serpentine) and Tremolite (tremolite) anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite. Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibers that vary in length from fine to broad. They can also be curled or straight. They are found in nature as bundles or individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals are also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as vermiculite and talcum powder that 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 for construction of ships insulation, fireproofing and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres in the air, however certain workers were exposed to vermiculite and talc that had been contaminated and to pieces of asbestos-bearing rocks (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied by the industry, time frame, and geographic location. Exposure to asbestos in the workplace is usually due to inhalation. However certain workers have been exposed through contact with skin or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos can be found in the environment because of natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated, such as ceiling and floor tiles, car brakes and clutches, and insulation. There is emerging evidence that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These are fibers that do not have the tight interwoven fibrils that are found in the amphibole and serpentine minerals, but instead are flexible, loose and needle-like. These fibers are found in mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones of many countries. Asbestos can be found in the environment as airborne particles, but it can also be absorbed into water and soil. This is caused by both natural (weathering of asbestos-bearing rocks) as well as anthropogenic sources (disintegration of asbestos-containing wastes as well as disposal in landfill sites). Asbestos contamination of surface and ground water is typically a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by anthropogenic activities such as milling and mining demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated soils for disposal in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres remains the main cause of illness in people exposed to it occupationally. Crocidolite Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. These fibres can enter the lung and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. Exposure to the fibres can be triggered in other ways, such as contact with contaminated clothing or building materials. The dangers of this kind of exposure are heightened when crocidolite, the asbestos in the blue form, is involved. Crocidolite fibers are softer and less brittle, making them easier to breathe in. They also can get deeper inside lung tissues. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other form of asbestos. The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite as well as epoxiemite. Tremolite is anthophyllite, and actinolite. The most commonly used asbestos types are chrysotile and epoxiemite, which together comprise 95% all commercial asbestos employed. The other four asbestos types are not as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less hazardous than amosite and chrysotile. However, they could be a risk when mixed with other asbestos minerals or mined in close proximity to other mineral deposits, such as vermiculite or talc. Several studies have found an connection between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. However, the evidence is contradictory. Some researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, whereas others have reported an SMR of 1,24 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines and mills. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classed all asbestos types as carcinogenic. All kinds of asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other health problems, but the risks differ based on the amount of exposure that people are exposed to, the type of asbestos involved, the duration of their exposure and the way in which it is inhaled or ingested. IARC has stated that the best option for individuals is to avoid all forms of asbestos. However, if someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from a condition such as mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases it is recommended that they seek advice from their physician or NHS 111. Amphibole Amphibole is one of the minerals that form long prism or needlelike crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of SiO4 molecules. They are a monoclinic system of crystals, but some have an orthorhombic shape. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. The double chains comprise (Si, Al)O4 tetrahedrons linked together in a series of six tetrahedrons. The tetrahedrons can be separated from each other with octahedral strips. Amphibole minerals are found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. They are usually dark and hard. Due to their similarity in strength and colour, they can be difficult for some to differentiate from Pyroxenes. They also share a similar Cleavage. Their chemistry allows for a range of compositions. The chemical compositions and crystal structure of the different mineral groups in amphibole can be used to identify them. Amphibole asbestos is comprised of chrysotile as well as the five types of asbestos amosite, anthophyllite (crocidolite), amosite (actinolite), and amosite. While the most frequently used form of asbestos is chrysotile each type has its own distinct characteristics. The most dangerous form of asbestos, crocidolite is composed of sharp fibers that are easy to breathe into the lungs. Anthophyllite is a brownish to yellowish color and is composed primarily of magnesium and iron. The variety was used previously in products such as cement and insulation materials. Amphibole minerals can be difficult to study because of their an intricate 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 of identifying amphiboles. However, these methods only provide approximate identifications. For instance, they cannot distinguish between magnesiohastingsite and magnesio-hornblende. Furthermore, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.