Types
Of Asbestos Fibers
Chrysotile
Asbestos is Common in Consumer Products
Asbestos is the generic name for six
naturally occurring minerals that have been used in commercial products for
their strength, flexibility, low electrical conductivity, and resistance to
heat and chemicals. It is composed of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various
metals.
Asbestos can be divided into two basic
groups, serpentine and amphibole, which differ in their physical
characteristics. Serpentine asbestos develops in a layered or tiered form,
whereas amphibole asbestos has a chain-like structure.
Identification
Asbestos is generally made up of fiber
bundles which easily separate into long, thin fibers. Positive identification
of a specific fiber type requires microscopic analysis and examination. All
asbestos fibers are hazardous to human health.
Asbestos
Types
There are six types of asbestos minerals that
occur naturally within the Earth's environment. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has classified the types as such:
Chrysotile : Chrysotile is one of
the most common and most dangerous forms of asbestos found within our Earth.
This type of asbestos accounts for approximately 90 percent of
commercially-used asbestos in the world. Chrysotile asbestos fibers are long,
white, and curly.
Amosite : Amosite asbestos is
recognized by its straight fibers and brown color. Amosite asbestos contains
iron and magnesium, and was most used within different types of insulation
products. The EPA has determined amosite to be the second most used type of
asbestos in the United States.
Crocidolite : Crocidolite takes
the form of blue, straight fibers. It is a sodium iron magnesium silicate, and
is considered to be the most dangerous type of asbestos due to its physical
properties.
Tremolite : Tremolite asbestos
fibers can be brown, gray, white or green, and like other types, can also be
translucent. Tremolite was not mined or used commercially on its own, but could
often be found contaminating other minerals, such as chrysotile, vermiculite
and talc.
Anthophyllite : Like tremolite
asbestos, anthophyllite minerals were not sought out for their commercial use,
but instead found their way into products made with vermiculite and talc. The
miners of vermiculite and talc are at high risk for developing asbestos-related
diseases because of anthophyllite contamination within the substances they
mined. Anthophyllite asbestos can range in color from white to gray to brown.
Actinolite : Actinolite asbestos
appears as dark green crystals or fibrous aggregates. Like tremolite and
anthophyllite, actinolite asbestos is often found as a contaminate within
different commercial asbestos products. It has been found in paints, sealants,
children's toys, and more.
While these six types of asbestos have
physical and chemical differences, they are all known carcinogens proven to be
hazardous to human health.
1 comments:
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