The History Of Asbestos Attorney
The Dangers of Exposure to Asbestos
Asbestos was used in thousands of commercial products before it was banned. Research has shown that exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other health problems.
It is impossible to determine if a product contains asbestos simply by looking at it and you cannot taste or smell it. Asbestos is only detected when the substances that contain it are broken, drilled, or chipped.
Chrysotile
At its peak, chrysotile accounted for up 99% of the asbestos production. It was utilized in a variety of industries which included construction insulation, fireproofing and insulation. If workers are exposed to asbestos, they could develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses. Fortunately, the use this hazardous mineral has declined significantly since mesothelioma awareness began to increase in the 1960's. It is still found in a variety of products we use in the present.
Chrysotile is safe to use if a thorough safety and handling plan is put into place. It has been found that at the current controlled exposure levels, there isn't an danger to the people who handle it. Lung fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma were all linked to breathing in airborne respirable fibres. This has been proven in terms of intensity (dose) as in the time of exposure.
One study that examined the operation of a factory that utilized almost exclusively chrysotile to manufacture friction materials compared the mortality rates of this factory with national death rates. The study found that, after 40 years of processing at 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 pass through the bloodstream. This makes them much more likely to cause ill-health effects than fibrils with a longer length.
It is extremely difficult for chrysotile fibres to be inhaled or to pose a health risk when mixed with cement. Fibre cement products are extensively used throughout the world, especially in buildings such as schools and hospitals.
Research has shown that chrysotile's risk is lower to cause illness than amphibole asbestos, like crocidolite and amosite. These amphibole types are the main source of mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related diseases. When chrysotile is combined with cement, it forms an extremely durable and flexible building product that can withstand harsh weather conditions and other environmental dangers. It is also very easy to clean after use. Asbestos fibres can easily be removed by a professional and safely removed.
Amosite
Asbestos is a grouping of fibrous silicates found in certain types rock formations. It consists of six general groups: serpentine, amphibole anthophyllite, tremolite and crocidolite (IARC, 1973).
Asbestos minerals are made up of thin, long fibres that vary in length from very fine to broad and straight to curled. These fibres can be found in nature in bundles or as individual fibrils. Asbestos can also be found in powder form (talc) or mixed with other minerals to create talcum powder or vermiculite. These are commonly used as consumer products, including baby powder, cosmetics, and face powder.
The heaviest use of asbestos was in the first two-thirds of the 20th century, when it was used in insulation, shipbuilding, fireproofing, and other construction materials. The majority of occupational exposures were asbestos fibres borne by air, but certain workers were exposed to toxic talc or vermiculite as well as to fragments of asbestos-bearing rock (ATSDR, 2001). Exposures varied by the industry, time frame and geographical location.
The majority of asbestos exposures that workers were exposed to was caused by inhalation, however some workers were also exposed by skin contact or through eating contaminated food. Asbestos can be found in the environment due to natural weathering and degrading of products that are contaminated like ceiling and floor tiles cars, brakes and clutches, and insulation.
There is evidence emerging that non-commercial amphibole fibres may also be carcinogenic. These fibers aren't weaved like the fibrils in amphibole and serpentine, but are instead loose, flexible, and needle-like. These fibers can be found in the mountains, sandstones and cliffs from a variety of nations.
Asbestos is absorbed into the environment mostly as airborne particles, but it also leaches into soil and water. This happens both through natural (weathering and erosion of asbestos-bearing rocks) and the anthropogenic (disintegration and removal of asbestos-containing wastes from landfill sites) sources. Asbestos contamination of ground and surface water is mostly a result of natural weathering. However, it has also been caused by human activities like mining and milling demolition and dispersal of asbestos-containing materials and the disposal of contaminated dumping ground in landfills (ATSDR, 2001). Inhalation exposure to airborne asbestos fibres is still the primary cause of illness for people exposed to asbestos at work.
Crocidolite
Inhalation exposure is the most frequent method of exposure to asbestos fibres. The fibres can penetrate the lung and cause serious health issues. These include asbestosis and mesothelioma. The exposure to asbestos can happen in other ways, too like contact with contaminated clothing or construction materials. This kind of exposure is more hazardous when crocidolite (the blue form of asbestos) is involved. Crocidolite is a smaller, more fragile fibers that are more easy to breathe in and can get deeper into lung tissue. It has been linked to a greater number of mesothelioma-related cancers than any other type of asbestos.
The six main types of asbestos are chrysotile amosite and tremolite. They are epoxiemite, tremol anthophyllite and actinolite. Chrysotile and amosite are the most commonly used forms of asbestos and account for 95% of the commercial asbestos that is used. The other four asbestos types aren't as well-known, but can still be present in older structures. They are less harmful than amosite and chrysotile, but they can pose a risk when combined with other asbestos minerals, or when mined close to other mineral deposits, like talc or vermiculite.
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 the evidence isn't conclusive. Some researchers have reported 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% confidence interval: 0.76-2.5), for workers in chrysotile mines or chrysotile mills.
IARC the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified all kinds of asbestos as carcinogenic. All forms of asbestos could cause mesothelioma and other health issues, although the risks vary according to the amount of exposure individuals are exposed to, the kind of asbestos used as well as the duration of exposure, and the manner in which it is inhaled or consumed. IARC has declared that the best choice for individuals is to avoid all types of asbestos. If someone has been exposed to asbestos in the past and suffer from an illness, such as mesothelioma and other respiratory ailments, they should seek guidance from their physician or NHS 111.
Amphibole
Amphiboles are groups of minerals which can form needle-like or prism-like crystals. They are an inosilicate mineral that is composed of two chains of SiO4 molecules. They usually have a monoclinic crystal system but some also have an orthorhombic structure. The general formula of an amphibole is A0-1B2C5T8O22(OH,F)2. aurora asbestos law firm consist of (Si,Al)O4 Tetrahedrons which are connected in rings of six. The tetrahedrons can be separated from each other by octahedral sites in strips.
Amphiboles can be found in both igneous and metamorphic rock. They are typically dark-colored and hard. They are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pyroxenes as they share similar hardness and color. They also share a similar the cleavage pattern. Their chemistry permits a wide range of compositions. The various mineral groups in amphibole can be identified by their chemical compositions as well as crystal structures.
The five asbestos types in the amphibole family include chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite and crocidolite. They also include actinolite. While the most commonly used form of asbestos is chrysotile, each variety has its own distinct characteristics. Crocidolite is considered to be the most hazardous asbestos type. It is composed of sharp fibers which are easily breathed into the lungs. Anthophyllite can be found in a brownish or yellowish color and is composed primarily of magnesium and iron. This type was used to make cement and insulation materials.
Amphiboles are a challenge to analyze due to their complex chemical structure and numerous substitutions. Therefore, a detailed analysis of their composition requires specialized methods. EDS, WDS and XRD are the most common methods for identifying amphiboles. These methods are only able to provide approximate identifications. For instance, these methods are unable to distinguish between magnesio-hastingsite from magnesio-hornblende. In addition, these techniques can not distinguish between ferro-hornblende as well as pargasite.