subject: Asbestos - The Wonder Mineral That Can Kill You [print this page] Asbestos - The Wonder Mineral That Can Kill You
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, which was first used by the ancient Romans and Greeks in their building material and clothing. Ever since then it's been used in a wide variety of products.The American asbestos industry began to take off after World War II and peaked during the 1970s. By then more than 4,000 products had asbestos as one of their components.Asbestos was extremely popular because it was relatively inexpensive to incorporate in the manufacturing process and it was a very versatile substance.Manufacturers used asbestos because it is abundant, inexpensive, very impervious to heat, and chemically inert. Once it is mined from the earth it is broken down and added to products to make them heat resistant, durable, and stronger.One of its unique characteristics is that it is strong and flexible yet doesn't add any significant amount of weight to the products. It's also one of the rare minerals that can be woven.Asbestos is comprised of thin, long fibers. They occur naturally as a solid, compressed mass. The six different kinds of asbestos are divided into two categories.Amphibole asbestos is characterized by straight, long fibers. Of the six types of asbestos, five fall into this category. They are actinolite, amosite, anthophullite, crocidolite, and tremolite.The second category is serpentine. It includes chrysotile, a kind of asbestos that's characterized by its curly fibers.There are three types of asbestos that are found in North America: amosite, chrysotile, and crocidolite.Although asbestos is highly regulated today because of the diseases it can cause, it was once used in many products including: yarn, wires, tape, rope, putty, plaster, pipe covering, paper, paint, ironing board covers, insulation, heating ducts, gaskets, floor tiles, fireproofing material, felt, electric ducts, duct installations, blackboards, cement, brake pads, and adhesives.In its natural form, solid asbestos is quite harmless if left undisturbed. However, if it's drilled, crushed, or disturbed, then asbestos particles and fibers will become airborne. Then they can be extremely toxic.Although the fibers are microscopic they are extremely sharp. When asbestos fibers are inhaled they will eventually pass to the edge of the lungs and lodge themselves into the membranes that protect, surround, and lubricate the lungs.The jagged particles then begin to cause inflammation and irritation. Lesions and scars in the lungs develop. Sometimes it's in the form of the non-cancerous but usually fatal disease called asbestosis. At other times it can cause malignant mesothelioma. This type of cancer will eventually metastasize and spread to other organs and can lead to a painful death.Many of the companies that produced asbestos products were aware of the dangers to which they exposed their employees; some people who developed asbestos-related diseases have successfully sought compensation from them. These people look for experienced asbestos lawyers that work for mesothelioma law firms.
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