asbestos

Also known as amianthus

Asbestos or asbestus ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, fibrous silicate minerals, used for thousands of years to create flexible objects that resist fire, such as fireproof fabrics, but are now known to be toxic and carcinogenic.

AI overview

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for thousands of years to make fire-resistant products like fireproof fabrics because of its flexibility and heat resistance. However, it is now known to be toxic and causes cancer, which is why it matters for public health and safety.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Mineral.name: Asbestos
Mineral.image: Asbestos with muscovite.png
Mineral.caption: Fibrous tremolite asbestos on muscovite
Mineral.category: Silicate minerals
Mineral.strunz: 09.ED.15
Mineral.dana: 71.01.02d.03
Mineral.molweight: 277.11 g
Mineral.color: Green, red, yellow, white, gray, blue
Mineral.habit: Amorphous, granular, massive
Mineral.system: Orthorhombic, monoclinic
Mineral.cleavage: Prismatic
Mineral.fracture: Fibrous
Mineral.mohs: 2.5.6.0
Mineral.luster: Silky
Mineral.streak: White
Mineral.gravity: 2.4–3.3
Mineral.opticalprop: Biaxial
Mineral.refractive: 1.53–1.72

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

16,851 papers

Asbestos and Iron.ReviewInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2023Ghio AJ, Stewart M, Sangani RG et al.DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512390
Is asbestos still a problem in the world? A current review.ReviewJournal of environmental management · 2022Thives LP, Ghisi E, Thives Júnior JJ et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115716
Asbestos: Mineralogical features and fiber analysis in biological materials.ReviewArchives of environmental & occupational health · 2023Sahin ER, Koksal DDOI: 10.1080/19338244.2023.2264764
Asbestos-related cancers: the 'Hidden Killer' remains a global threat.ReviewExpert review of anticancer therapy · 2020van Zandwijk N, Reid G, Frank ALDOI: 10.1080/14737140.2020.1745067
Asbestos Consumption and Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality Trends in the Major User Countries.Annals of global health · 2023Gariazzo C, Gasparrini A, Marinaccio ADOI: 10.5334/aogh.4012
Sailors and the Risk of Asbestos-Related Cancer.ReviewInternational journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Lemen RA, Landrigan PJDOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168417
[Asbestos and its effects on health of Icelanders - review].ReviewLaeknabladid · 2019Gudmundsson G, Tomasson KDOI: 10.17992/lbl.2019.0708.241
[Asbestos exposure and asbestos-related malignant diseases:an epidemiological review].ReviewZhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases · 2021Huang XY, Ye QDOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20200226-00089

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass: 277.11
Image: Crb-gmbh aktinolithfasern-auf-kernporenfilter.jpg

Show 8 more facts

NIOSH Pocket Guide ID: 0041
Commons category: Asbestos
decomposition point: 1112
vapor pressure: 0
ceiling exposure limit: 0
MCN code: 6812.99.20
2022 Harmonized System Code: 252400
production rate: 600000

Sources (8)

via Wikidata · CC0

~53 min read

Article

43 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Early references and uses
Industrial era
Discovery of toxicity
Use by industry and product type
Serpentine group
Amphibole group
Amosite
Crocidolite
Tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite
Potential use in carbon sequestration
Construction
Developed countries
Outside the European Union and North America
September 11 attacks
Asbestos contaminants in other products
Vermiculite
Talc
Production
Health impact
Regulation
Complete bans on asbestos
Australia
Canada
Iran
Japan
New Zealand
South Korea
United Kingdom
Countries where asbestos is legal
United States
China
Mexico
Vietnam
Testing
Substitutes for asbestos in construction
Recycling and disposal
Abbreviations associated with asbestos
See also
References
Further reading
External links

There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre (particulate with length substantially greater than width) being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion and other processes. Inhalation of asbestos fibres can lead to various dangerous lung conditions, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. As a result of these health effects, asbestos is considered a serious health and safety hazard.