What is Asbestos?
Posted on: October 2, 2023The name “asbestos” belongs to a group of minerals called “asbestiform”. Asbestos is a fibrous material which is mined from serpentine rock. See photos of Asbestos Products.
Asbestos is the name given to a group of six different fibrous materials which occur naturally in the environment. These fibrous materials are: amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, etc. Since Asbestos minerals are heat resistant and can be woven, they are used for a wide range of manufacturing goods, example: paper products, floor tiles and asbestos cement products. Here is a list of Asbestos Products.
Production of asbestos
Rock is mined and crushed.
Fibrous minerals of asbestos are extracted from the rock.
The strands are put in bags and shipped to manufacturing facilities where the asbestos is used as an ingredient in insulation and other goods.
Most commonly used asbestos in product manufacturing are chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite.
Although asbestos products have not been used in construction since about 1975, the products in place present a clear danger to:
persons involved in repair work
persons involved in demolition of structures containing asbestos products.
Infact, we all are exposed to low levels of asbestos in the air that we breathe in. These low levels range from 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibres per milliliter of air. They are the highest in industrial areas and cities. Also, drinking water that we consume may contain asbestos from the natural sources or from cement pipes containing asbestos.
It can be determined whether you have been exposed to Asbestos or not by measuring the asbestos fibers in urine, mucus or feces. Asbestos exposure can also be detected by doing chest x-rays that can show any changes in the lungs, due to the exposure.
Breathing in high levels of Asbestos fibres for an extended period of time can result in scar-like tissues in the lungs and in the pleural membrane (lining) that surrounds the lung. This is known as Asbestosis. Asbestosis is a serious disease and its consequences can be death or disability.
Have you been exposed to Asbestos? Do you want to find out more information about Asbestos and its relation to Mesothelioma? Do you want to know more about your treatment options or your financial/legal avenues of compensation? Use the form below to contact us. A qualified Mesothelioma Attorney is waiting to receive your email.