Cancer Resources

The question often asked these days is whether asbestos is still a hazard to people. As many ads as we see on TV talking about Mesothelioma, one would think that asbestos is still a real threat to our home air quality. Research seems to indicate it is not.

Asbestos was used in many building materials in the 19th century because is was found to have some great properties. It actually is a naturally occurring silicate mineral. It has long fibrous crystals and can withstand very high heat.. It is the long fibrous crystals that cause the problems in our lungs. Asbestos was used in buildings in the US through the 1970s. It was used to fireproof roofing and flooring, for heat insulation, and for a host of other purposes. Continue reading ‘Asbestos and Home Air Quality’ »

Most people are primarily concerned with the dangers of asbestos in their home. For those who live in houses and apartment buildings that were constructed prior to the 1988 ban and asbestos phase-out, this is a reasonable concern. However, you may not be aware that asbestos has been found in places that you may rarely encounter. Nonetheless, you should be aware of these surprising sources of asbestos.

Even a small amount of contact with asbestos can cause you to develop severe health problems and even cancers such as mesothelioma, lung, gastrointestinal, throat, esophageal, and kidney. Thus, although you definitely do not want to have dangerous asbestos in your home where you spend the most time, you may not want to risk going into a building that may have asbestos. Some people are more susceptible to the carcinogen than others, and one encounter may be all you need.

The reason for the widespread presence of asbestos is because it does have several potentially life-saving characteristics. Asbestos is a member of the silicate mineral family. Silicates are known for their insulating capabilities; it resists heat, flame, chemicals, and electricity. Additionally, asbestos itself has the enviable properties of high tensile strength and flexibility, which means that it is easily added to materials that need some of these resistant capabilities. Continue reading ‘Surprising Sources of Asbestos’ »

The inhalation of asbestos fibers often leads to two brutal outcomes. One either gets Mesothelioma or lung cancer. Both of these cancers are often fatal. That being said, what if you are lucky enough not to get either of these? Well, you aren’t out of the forest yet. You still have to worry about asbestosis.

The human body is an amazing thing. The fact we run normally is simply amazing given all the processes required to make that happen. They can be infinitely complex as can the processes used to fight things that are bad for us. Well, that is till we get to the lungs. The lungs are abused because they breathe in air from our world without much of a filter. The pollution in most cities is simply staggering. Regardless, the lungs react to foreign contaminants by using a brute force defense. They simply start trying to expel the material via a contraction. We’ve all experienced it. It is called coughing. Continue reading ‘Asbestosis – The Other Lung Health Problem Caused by Asbestos’ »

The definition of “asbestos” is inextinguishable. The term asbestos is a borrowed Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks named asbestos the miracle mineral because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its aptitude to resist heat.

To assist your comprehension concerning the definition, asbestos is made up of a group of minerals. The minerals in asbestos have long and thin fibrous crystals. Your naked eye is not able to witness all of the asbestos and can simply be inhaled causing serious disease. If you suffer inhaled asbestos it will plunge deep into your lungs. Your lung’s linings will be eaten away by the asbestos causing trouble in breathing and lethal cancer. If you are diagnosed by a doctor with Asbestosis or Mesothelioma, it is not curable. Continue reading ‘The Definition of Asbestos and Important Facts About Asbestos’ »

Asbestos is a silicate mineral that had proven to be very effective in a number of industries before people realized the dangers involved with its usage. Before it came under strict regulation, asbestos was a vital component of the construction industry, including many different trades involved in the building process.

Asbestos fibers are divided into two families, with six total members. First, the serpentine group contains only chrysotile. This is the most commonly found form of asbestos. Serpentine fibers tend to lay in sheets and form layers. The other group is the amphibole family. It contains amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. This family is characterized by the chain-like structure they form. From this family, amosite is the next most common asbestos fiber, and crocidolite is typically considered the most dangerous. Continue reading ‘Asbestos in the Construction Industry’ »

When we think of asbestos usage, we primarily think of its presence in building materials during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, this is not the only industry that has found numerous uses for this substance. Militaries throughout the years have found asbestos to be a useful material in a variety of different products.

First, it’s important to understand why asbestos is so appealing, besides the fact that it causes diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos describes a family of six different types of silicate minerals. These six types are divided into two groups, serpentine and amphibole. The only member of the serpentine group is chrysotile. It is actually the most commonly used type of asbestos. The amphibole group contains amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. The second most popular type of asbestos, amosite, is present in this group. Continue reading ‘The Military and Asbestos Usage’ »

Now, everyone knows about the dangers of asbestos usage. However, we have been using asbestos for thousands of years and are only just now outlawing unsafe use of this material. Long ago, ancient people recognized the wondrous properties of asbestos that allowed it to become such a widespread product in our lives.

The first civilization that used asbestos that we know of were the inhabitants of Finland from 3,000 years ago. Communities have been found and excavated that consist of log cabins and dwellings that have asbestos mixed in as part of the chinking. Additionally, pottery shards contained the material as well.

Next, the Egyptians utilized asbestos to embalm pharaohs, and they wove it into their clothes to make them more durable. The Persians also used the substance for their dead, importing in from India to be used as a wrap for the deceased. Continue reading ‘History of Asbestos Usage’ »

Asbestos had been used for thousands of years before finally being phased out in the late 20th century. However, millions of people were exposed to the substance in the United States alone. Sadly, because we did not realize the dangers of asbestos until it was too late, many people now suffer from diseases caused by this mineral.

While asbestos is an extremely useful material due to its insulating properties against head, flame, chemicals, electricity, and degradation, it is also very hazardous. One supposedly great characteristic of asbestos is that it could easily be made into threads and spun into fabrics and added into other things like plastics and concrete. However, this also means that it can easily break off and come into contact with our bodies. Continue reading ‘Overview of Asbestos-Related Diseases’ »

Although both the Greeks and Romans noted the lung problems that arose in asbestos miners and slaves who wore asbestos fibers, we continued to use this material for the majority of the 20th century. Sadly, now we know that asbestos causes terrible health problems like asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Asbestos was first used 3,000 years ago by ancient civilizations that populated the area that is now Finland. They used it for chinking for their houses and in pottery. Its popularity continued with the Greeks, Romans, and Persians 2,000 years ago. They mostly used the substance either in funerary rites or for cloths that often needed cleaning, such as napkins or tablecloths.

The popularity of asbestos declined until the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. With the rise in machinery came the need for a material that was a suitable insulator for the heat, flames, and electricity that was either used or produced by the machines. Asbestos was found to be a perfect insulator for all of these things. Additionally, it protects against chemicals and resists degradation. As a silicate material, it also has high tensile strength and flexibility. Continue reading ‘Asbestos Usage in the 20th Century’ »

Early civilizations in what is now Finland recognized the usefulness of asbestos about 3,000 years ago. The Persians, Greeks, and Romans continued its popularity 1,000 years later. Even up through the 20th century, we utilized asbestos in a number of different products until it was phased out and banned starting in 1989.

Asbestos is extremely useful both due to its own characteristics, but also as a silicate mineral. Silicates in general tend to be highly resistant to many different things, which makes them great insulators. Silicate minerals protect against chemicals, heat, flame, and electricity. They are also highly resistant to biodegradation. Additionally, asbestos has several useful properties on its own. It has high tensile strength and is very flexible, which means that it can easily be spun into cloth as well as added to other materials. Continue reading ‘Types of Asbestos and Their Uses’ »