Asbestosis : Disease secondary to asbestos inhalation (Asbestosis: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References. San Diego,Calif. 2004 )
What is:
Asbestos is the name given to a group of six different fibrous minerals (amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and the fibrous varieties of tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite) that occur naturally in the environment.
One of these, chrysotile, belongs to the serpentine family of minerals, while all of the others belong to the amphibole family. All forms of asbestos are hazardous, and all can cause cancer ( asbestosis ), but amphibole forms of asbestos are considered to be somewhat more hazardous to health than chrysotile. Asbestos minerals consist of thin, separable fibers that have a parallel arrangement. Nonfibrous forms of tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite also are found naturally. However, because they are not fibrous, they are not classified as asbestos minerals. Amphibole asbestos fibers are generally brittle and often have a rod or needle like shape, whereas chrysotile asbestos fibers are flexible and curved. Chrysotile, also known as white asbestos, is the predominant commercial form of asbestos; amphiboles are of minor commercial importance. Asbestos fibers do not have any detectable odor or taste. They do not dissolve in water or evaporate and are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation. Because of these properties, asbestos has been mined for use in a wide range of manufactured products, mostly in building materials, friction products, and heat-resistant fabrics.
see
[ Asbestosis: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References. San Diego,Calif. 2004 ]
Events, Trends, and Issues:
Domestic use of asbestos declined because the industry continues to be affected by liability issues and public opposition to the use of asbestos. Congressional activity during years focused on establishing a trust fund from which to compensate workers suffering from asbestos-related health disease. The Mine Safety and Health Administration continued to review its proposed reduction of the 8-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure level to 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter from 2.0 fibers per cubic centimeter for asbestos.
see
[ Asbestosis: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References. San Diego,Calif. 2004 ]
[ American Thoracic Society. (2004). Diagnosis and initial management of nonmalignant diseases related to asbestos. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med , 170. ]
Substitutes:
Numerous materials substitute for asbestos in products. The substitutes include calcium silicate, carbon fiber, cellulose fiber, ceramic fiber, glass fiber, steel fiber, wollastonite, and several organic fibers, such as aramid, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polytetrafluoroethylene. Several nonfibrous minerals or rocks, such as perlite, serpentine, silica, and talc, are considered to be possible asbestos substitutes for products in which the reinforcement properties of fibers were not required. No single substitute was as versatile as asbestos. (Toxicological profile for asbestos. 2001)
Bibliography
1 - Asbestosis: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References. San Diego,Calif. 2004
2 - American Thoracic Society. (2004). Diagnosis and initial management of nonmalignant diseases related to asbestos. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med , 170.
3 - Department of Health and Human Services. (s.d.). Asbestos Toxicity. ATSDR Case Studies in Environmental Medicine. U.S.
4 - GROUP, A. W., G. Douglas Hanley, M. R., Susan Kess, M. M., Yee-Wan Stevens, M., Sharon Wilbur, M., & Malcolm Williams, D. P. (2001, September). TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR ASBESTOS. Tratto da Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
5 - WE, C. (s.d.). Fibrosis of the Lungs due to the Inhalation of Asbestos Dust. Br Med J , 140-147. 752865
