Asbestos - The Silent Killer

Emperors have cherished it. Egyptians had their burial clothes from it. Royals made their prized covers and napkins from it. It was indestructible material and valued as such. Throughout history asbestos has been used and in some empires valued more than gold itself. For all its glory it has one huge downfall. It was killing people and they did not even know it. Asbestos is a common name describing a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals composed of hydrous-magnesium-silicate groups. Its unique chemical composition makes it an excellent insulator, flame retardant, high tensile strength and resistance to chemicals. Put it simply it was the material of choice with all around purpose. There are several main groups of asbestos. Chrysotile, also known as White Asbestos, is obtained from serpentine rocks. Its chemical composition is Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4. This form of asbestos is less friable, making it the least dangerous of all. Amosite, also known as Brown Asbestos and Grunerite, is an amphibole from South Africa and its chemical composition is Fe7Si8O22(OH). Its harsh, spiky fibers have good tensile strength and resistance to heat. Riebeckite, also known as Blue Asbestos and Crocidolite, is an amphibole from Africa and Australia. Its chemical composition is Na2Fe2+3Fe3+2Si8O22(OH)2. The needle-like fibers are the strongest of all asbestos fibers and have a high resistance to acids. This is the most dangerous type of asbestos due to its fibrous structure and composition. Why is asbestos so dangerous? To answer this question lets look at the formation and decomposition of asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. Upon crystallization the molecules bind by linear polymerization producing oriented crystalline structure. This three dimensional crystalline structure is very similar to other crystals and gemstones. What makes asbestos different is that two of the planes of this molecular arrangement are much weaker than the third one. Once sufficient force is applied the crystalline structure breaks along its plane with linear fragmentation, producing fibrous material. This breakdown will continue to the molecular level. The average size of respirable asbestos is 3-20 microns and can be as thin as 0.01 microns. To make things worse this small size being airborne is easily dispersed making it that more difficult to contain. With such as small size we can not see it or taste it yet we are breathing it and accumulating it in our lungs. Once in our system our body can not get rid of it. Our defense systems will fight it and try to get rid of it causing several types of diseases. Two predominant types are Asbestosis and Mesothelioma. The dormancy period for Asbestosis can be as much as 20 years and for Mesothelioma as much as 50 years. One of the first recorded reports of asbestos dangers was back in 1898. Chief Inspector of Factories of the United Kingdom reported to Parliament in his Annual Report about the "evil effects of asbestos dust". In 1918 US government report stating that it was the practice of American and Canadian life insurance companies not to sell coverage to asbestos workers due to the assumed injurious health consequences. In 1926 the Massachusetts Industrial Accidents Board approved the first successful compensation claim by asbestos worker. Since then there are numerous reports of the danger of asbestos yet the big companies continued to use asbestos to great extent. The heydays for asbestos were during the 1940s and 1950s. The profits were much more important than the human lives. If you suspect that you have asbestos in your surrounding do not try to remove it yourself. Call the appropriate authorities and they will handle it. They are properly equipped to safely dispose it.

Article by: mirko1
About the Author
Mirko Davidovic-CEO of fyi4u, winemakingplus;formal education in Chemical Eng,Biochemistry and Psychology.

Mesothelioma Definition

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking.[1] Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis can be made with chest X-rays and a CT scan, and confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

Why is Mesothelioma So Deadly?

On the way to modernization, humans have to admit that many sacrifices had to be made. Sky scrappers and tall buildings bring wealth to the world. What we might not realize is, the buildings where we spent hours working at our jobs can potentially be killers. It can be dangerous to you or the people associated with these buildings and establishments. Corporate buildings are mostly based from asbestos. Roads, railways, hinges and sliding windows contain high amounts of asbestos. Thus, many construction workers are highly exposed to the diseases related to asbestos. One of them is mesothelioma, a rare yet deadly disease to us. Mesothelioma does not happen naturally. It happens due to inhalation of asbestos for a long period. When inhaled, asbestos will settle a cancerous layer on the membrane protecting the inner organs. The most common mesothelioma is the cancerous attack on the outer layer of the chest cavity and the lungs. This is the reason why mesothelioma is widely known as lung cancer. The cancerous layer can also develop outside the abdominal cavity and outside our heart. The bad news is, you can run around, play with your kids, sipping coffee on your balcony for years before you realize you have mesothelioma. It is only when mesothelioma reaches the critical stage that you will realize its symptoms. Dry cough, breathlessness, pain in the chest and throwing up are common symptoms of deadly mesothelioma. It is most unfortunate that you will only notice the symptoms when it is really too late for anything to be done about it. Why is mesothelioma one of the deadliest diseases known to men then? The fact that it can lay dormant for decades without you noticing is one. When the doctor finally diagnoses you as the victim of mesothelioma, it is too late. You are unable to fight for it. This disease drains your energy and you will be bedridden, incapable of anything. You will be coughing blood before you know it and this is extremely painful. As mesothelioma is highly associated with the respiratory system, you might notice that swallowing is a terrible business. To add to the suffering, breathing causes pain in your ribs. It really put you in a dreadful position, once you become a patient of mesothelioma. The duration between inhalation of asbestos to mesothelioma is between 15 to 20 years. If your work requires you to deal with asbestos or anyone around you, take the safety step to have a full medical report. It is a good way to have a complete medical history to monitor any potential mesothelioma patients. You might just wave off coughing and breathlessness. However, you need to remember that these can be the symptoms of mesothelioma. If you happen to suffer from these, do not wait until it becomes critical before you see the doctor. Early mesothelioma detection is important in order to settle for the type of treatment you need to receive.

Article by: snook2

About the Author
Terence Young - For more information on Mesothelioma and other related articles visit: http://www.beatscancer.com/