25 Surprising Facts About Asbestos Attorney
The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. According research, exposure to asbestos can cause cancer, as well as other health problems.
It is not possible to tell by simply looking at something if it is made up of asbestos. Also, you cannot taste or smell it. It is only discovered when asbestos-containing materials are drilled, chipped or broken.
Chrysotile
At its height, chrysotile comprised the majority of asbestos production. It was used by many industries including construction, fireproofing, and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they can develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Since the 1960s, when mesothelioma began to become an issue, the use of asbestos has declined significantly. It is still present in many products we use today.
Chrysotile is safe to use if you have a comprehensive safety and handling program in place. People who handle chrysotile do not exposed to an undue amount of risk at the current safe exposure levels. The inhalation of airborne particles has been found to be strongly linked with lung cancer and lung fibrosis. This has been confirmed for both intensity (dose) and time of exposure.
A study that looked at a factory that used almost all chrysotile as its friction materials, compared mortality rates in this factory with national mortality rates. The study found that, after 40 years of converting low levels of chrysotile, there was no significant increase in mortality in this factory.
Chrysotile fibres are typically shorter than other types of asbestos. They can penetrate the lungs, and then pass through the bloodstream. They are therefore more likely to cause health issues than fibres that are longer.
When chrysotile mixes with cement, it is very difficult for the fibres to be airborne and pose any health risks. Fibre cement products are widely utilized in many areas of the world including hospitals and schools.
redwood city asbestos lawsuit has proven that chrysotile is less likely to cause illness than amphibole asbestos such as crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types have been the primary source of mesothelioma, as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When cement and chrysotile are mixed, a durable and flexible material is created that is able to stand up to extreme environmental hazards and weather conditions. It is also easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can be easily removed by a professional and eliminated.
Amosite
Asbestos is a category of fibrous silicates that are found in a variety of rock formations. It is classified into six groups: amphibole (serpentine) and the tremolite (tremolite), anthophyllite (crocidolite) and anthophyllite.
Asbestos minerals are composed of long, thin fibers that range in length from fine to wide. They can also be curled or straight. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos minerals are also found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals and sold as talcum powder and vermiculite that are widely used in consumer products, such as baby powder cosmetics, face powder and other.
Asbestos was extensively used in the first two thirds of the 20th century for shipbuilding insulation, fireproofing, insulation and other construction materials. The majority of asbestos-containing exposures to the workplace occurred in the air, but some workers also were exposed to asbestos-bearing rocks and vermiculite that was contaminated. Exposures varied according to the type of industry, the time period, and geographic location.
Asbestos exposure in the workplace is usually caused by inhalation. However there are workers who have been exposed by contact with their skin or by eating food items contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is currently only found in the environment from natural weathering of mined ores and deterioration of contaminated products such as insulation, car brakes and clutches, and floor and ceiling tiles.
There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibers could also be carcinogenic. These fibres are not tightly woven like the fibrils found in amphibole and serpentine they are loose as well as flexible and needle-like. These fibres can be found in mountain sandstones, cliffs and sandstones of many countries.
Asbestos is able to enter the environment in a variety of ways, such as in airborne particles. It can also leach out into soil or water. This is a result of both natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and disposal of asbestos-containing materials in landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of surface and ground waters is primarily 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 materials in landfills (ATSDR 2001). Asbestos fibres that are emitted from the air are the main cause of illness in people exposed to asbestos during their work.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most common method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lungs, causing serious health problems. Mesothelioma and asbestosis as well as other diseases are caused by asbestos fibres. Exposure to fibres can occur in other ways, too, for example, contact with contaminated clothing, or building materials. This type of exposure is especially dangerous when crocidolite (the blue asbestos form) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are more easy to breathe in and may lodge deeper in lung tissue. It has been linked to a larger number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.
The six major types of asbestos are chrysotile, amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. Amosite and chrysotile are two of the most commonly used types of asbestos, and comprise 95% of commercial asbestos in use. The other four asbestos types are not as common, but may still be present in older structures. They are not as dangerous as amosite or chrysotile however they could 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 shown that there is a link between stomach cancer and asbestos exposure. The evidence isn't unanimous. Certain researchers have cited an SMR (standardized death ratio) of 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.6), for all asbestos workers, while others report an SMR of 1,24 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for those who work 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 and other health issues, but the risks differ based on the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used as well as the length of their exposure and the way in the way that it is breathed in or ingested. IARC has stated that the best option for people is to stay clear of all types of asbestos. However, if people have been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma or any other respiratory illnesses and require advice, they should seek out guidance from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are groups of minerals that form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are a type of inosilicate mineral made up of double chains of molecules of SiO4. They usually have a monoclinic crystal structure but some also 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, which are connected in rings of six. The tetrahedrons can be separated from each other with octahedral strips.
Amphibole minerals are prevalent in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They are usually dark-colored and are hard. They can be difficult to distinguish from pyroxenes since they share similar hardness and colors. They also share a corresponding the cleavage pattern. However their chemistry permits the use of a variety of compositions. The different mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.
Amphibole asbestos comprises chrysotile and the five types of asbestos: amosite anthophyllite (crocidolite) amosite (actinolite) and amosite. Each variety of asbestos has its own distinct properties. Crocidolite is the most hazardous asbestos type. It contains sharp fibers that are easily inhaled into the lung. Anthophyllite comes in a brownish-to yellowish color and is made primarily of magnesium and iron. This variety was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are difficult to analyse because of their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. An in-depth analysis of the composition of amphibole minerals is a complex process that requires specialized techniques. The most common methods to identify amphiboles are EDS, WDS, and XRD. However, these methods can only provide approximate identifications. For instance, these techniques, cannot distinguish between magnesio-hornblende and hastingsite. Moreover, these techniques do not distinguish between ferro-hornblende or pargasite.