Chrysotile Exposure, the risk of Mesothelioma

What is Chrysotile? Chrysotile is a serpentine mineral belonging to the asbestiform sub-group. Actually, it is a material from which asbestos is produced. Chrysotile asbestos can be found in South Africa, Canada, Russia and in four states in the U.S. However, with the production and use of chrysotile, some controversy has been equated because asbestos is the prime contributor and to thoracic mesothelioma and is known to be a carcinogen. In fact, half of reported cases of mesothelioma have been attributed to professional and industrial use of asbestos-chrysotile.

In 1960, the effect of high levels of asbestos-chrysotile exposure was recognized in South Africa. Since then, more research and studies have followed suit. Reported that about 4 people out of one million die from mesothelioma, estimated that each year, as a result of asbestos exposure. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is not easily diagnosed, so the figure chrysotile mesothelioma is not considered accurate because and is often mistaken for another disease.

The linking of mesothelioma and chrysotile

One of the forms of asbestos is Chrysotile. Asbestos-chrysotile has been proven to cause cancer in humans and is blamed for many cases of mesothelioma. However, if it is inhaled and absorbed in very large quantities, chrysotile can only increase the risk of mesothelioma lung cancer. This is because compared to other forms which are bladed amphiboles, chrysotile appears as rolled phyllosilicate. Chrysotile-amphiboles is less likely to cause cancer because it is flexible, if absorbed in small quantities.

With other asbestos forms such as tremolite, amosite, actinolite, crocidolite and anthophyllite, the same is not true. They become a source of irritation and embed in the lung tissue, when these forms of asbestos are inhaled. The irritated tissues become cancerous then. In chemical composition, Chrysotile fibers is also different to other forms of asbestos, which probably explains in part its reduced potency.

In fact, chrysotile exposure can still cause cancerous tissues with prolonged exposures to grow in the lungs, but only to very high concentrations of the material. To increase the risk of someone developing mesothelioma other forms of asbestos need only a moderate exposure. However, many asbestos experts and chrysotile institute agree that forms of asbestos affect predominantly those individuals as part of their occupation who experience sustained exposure to asbestos.

In post-mortem cases, analysis of lung tissues also showed that the workers in those areas such as chrysotile canada, had 4 times the amount of tremolite in their lungs compared to workers in other areas. This suggests that it wasn’t chrysotile which caused the workers to develop mesothelioma but tremolite. The study of lab chrysotile further noted that the mesothelioma cases were the result of prolonged high exposures for many decades.

The future hold for Chrysotile

In many countries, including the U.S. and Canada, all asbestiform materials are heavily regulated. However, there has been a significant decrease in the exposure of humans to chrysotile mesothelioma because regulations mandate that chrysotile fiber must be maintained at a level that provides very low risk in affecting health negatively, especially the risk of mesothelioma. Although industries are constantly ensuring that human exposure is kept at a minimum, it still doesn’t change the fact the chrysotile exposure can pose serious mesothelioma risks.

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Tags: asbestos-chrysotile, chrysotile, chrysotile asbestos, chrysotile canada, chrysotile exposure, chrysotile fibers, chrysotile institute, chrysotile mesothelioma, chrysotile removal, lab chrysotile

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