Asbestos Poisoning
Asbestos Poisoning | Poisoning of Asbestos | Mesothelioma | Asbestos | Asbestos Mesothelioma Poisoning
Asbestos poisoning is a term used for the impact that asbestos exposure can have on humans. Its toxicity stems from the fact that the microscopic fibers which make up asbestos in its pure form can have a devastating impact on human health when they are inhaled or ingested. Asbestos (a misapplication of Latin: asbestos “quicklime” from Greek ????????: a-, “not”; sbestos, “extinguishable”) describes any of a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals of the hydrous magnesium silicate variety.
Asbestos poisoning is the result of asbestos fibers becoming lodged in the human body, which is unable to expel them through natural methods. Asbestos poisoning can result in a relatively rare cancer called mesothelioma. Some people only briefly exposed to small amounts of asbestos develop mesothelioma, while others exposed to large amounts of asbestos over long periods, do not. One study found incidence of mesothelioma to be over 300 times as great in workers with asbestos insulation, compared to the general population. Asbestos might also decrease the effectiveness of the immune system.
There are 3 types of Asbestos Poisoning :
- White asbestos – Chrysotile, CAS No. 12001-29-5, is obtained from serpentine rocks. It is less friable (and therefore less likely to be inhaled) than the other types and is the type most often used industrially. Chrysotile should not be confused with chrysolite, a synonym of olivine. There is some evidence that this form of asbestos is not as harmful when inhaled. However it should be noted that there is also evidence that this type of asbestos is harmful, although not perhaps as harmful as other forms (refer to UK Health & Safety Commission report Asbestos: Effects on health of exposure to asbestos, 1985). One formula given for Chrysotile is Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4.
- Brown asbestos – Amosite, CAS No. 12172-73-5, also known as Grunerite, is an amphibole from Africa, named as an acronym from Asbestos Mines of South Africa. One formula given for Amosite is Fe7Si8O22(OH)2.
- Blue asbestos – Riebeckite, CAS No. 12001-28-4, also known as Crocidolite, is an amphibole from Africa and Australia. It is the fibrous form of riebeckite. Blue asbestos is commonly thought of as the most dangerous type of asbestos (see above and below). One formula given for Crocidolite is Na2Fe2+3Fe3+2Si8O22(OH)2.
Other asbestos minerals, such as tremolite, CAS No. 77536-68-6, Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2; actinolite (or smaragdite), CAS No. 77536-66-4, Ca2(Mg, Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2; and anthophyllite, CAS No. 77536-67-5, (Mg, Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2; are less-used industrially but can still be found in a variety of construction materials and insulation materials and occur in a few consumer products, such as talcum powders and vermiculite.
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