The United States Environmental Protection Agency states about six minerals which can be classified as ‘asbestos’ counting those under Serpentile class chrysotile and those under the Amphibole class amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophylite and actinolite. The disparity between the two asbestos can be seen by the differences in their chemical composition and their level of influence, when inhaled as a health hazard.
Asbestos Types of Minerals
Out of the six minerals stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophylite and actinolite.), there are only three which are the most common. These are White (Chrysotile) asbestos, Brown (Amosite) asbestos, and Blue/Chrocidolite (Riebeckite) asbestos. Chrysotile comes under the Serpentile class whereas the brown and the blue asbestos come under the Amphibole class.
- Chrysotile: It is also called White asbestos and is obtained from the Serpentile rock. These asbestos fibers are curly unlike those of amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophylite which are needlelike. It is a magnesium silicate. Its use like in most asbestos cases banned in most countries however in the United States and Europe it can be utilized under restricted, specific situations. Chrysotile is the most common asbestos used in America with about 95% buildings being detected by it. It is said that Chrysotile out of all the other asbestos poses the least threats to human health.
- Amosite: It is also called the Brown asbestos and it belongs to the Ampibole group. It contains Iron and Magnesium.
- Crocidolite: it is also called the Blue asbestos and It belongs to the Amphibole group. It is a Sodium Iron Magnesium silicate.
Asbestos Types of Caused Cancers
Asbestos is a known Carcinogen. Scientific studies have shown that those exposed to asbestos suffer from lung Cancer and mesothelioma. There is evidence that asbestos also causes other types of cancer such as cancer of the larynx, stomach cancer, colon cancer and cancers of throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder amongst employees of the asbestos industry. However this correlation is still debated.
Lung cancer is the cancer of the lung tissue itself and mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer that affects the thin membranes lining the abdomen and chest. Employees of the asbestos industry who smoke have a higher risk of developing lung cancer than those employees who do not smoke as much as by 50 %. However unlike lung cancer, mesothelioma risk is not affected by the consumption of nicotine.