Natural asbestos, fibrous minerals. These minerals can be mined in hundreds of countries around the world, which makes them easily attainable and relatively inexpensive. In general, there are six major groups of asbestos, each of which is a set of unique physical characteristics:
Actinolite - flat, long fibers
Amosite - brown, straight, brittle fibers
Anthophyllite - fragile, white fibers
Chrysotile - curly, white fibers
Crocidolite - blue, straight fibers
Tremolite asbestos - white, chalky fiber
Asbestos minerals also tend to have high heat resistance, high tensile strength and low conductivity. This makes them ideal for heat-resistant products and insulation.
Exposure to asbestos
Asbestos thin, fibrous substance, which can easily disintegrate into small fibers. When they are violated, these loose fibers can become airborne and inhaled unconsciously number of people. Over time, the amount of asbestos in the body can accumulate. This creates a dangerous scarring that can lead to serious diseases, including cancer.
Those who worked for many years in the industry, which used asbestos have been heavily exposed to hazardous fibers. Because of this, these people are at highest risk of developing dangerous diseases caused by asbestos. Those who have been involved in construction, shipbuilding, metalworking, mining and to create laws regulating asbestos have seen the biggest exposure levels.
Asbestos-related disease
Unfortunately, even in the 1920's and 30's, it became apparent that asbestos and poses serious health risks. These devastating effects far outweigh the benefits of using asbestos, and later the 1970's, this mineral was far removed from industrial processes. By this time, however, millions of people already had too much asbestos and were at risk to succumb to lung cancer, mesothelioma and other tragic illnesses.
Today we know that exposure to asbestos can cause many serious health problems. These include the following conditions:
Lung scarring
Pleural plaques
Asbestosis
Lung Cancer
Mesothelioma |
Asbestos 