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Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye?by
Jeff Lakie
If you are in the construction
business or employed by an industry that uses products
containing asbestos, you may wonder “Are asbestos fibers
visible to the eye”? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to
be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it
has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly
impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking
the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put
the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers.
Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not
cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water.
You cannot see, smell, or taste
asbestos. If you skin becomes contaminated with asbestos
it will not burn or itch.
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Are asbestos fibers visible to
the eye ?
Jeff Lakie
If you are in the construction
business or employed by an
industry that uses products
containing asbestos, you may
wonder “Are asbestos fibers
visible to the eye”? Generally
asbestos fibers are too small
to be seen by the naked eye.
Asbestos becomes dangerous when
it has broken down into small
fibers and is inhaled. It is
nearly impossible to detect the
presence of asbestos without
taking the material to a lab
for testing. A lab technician
will put the material under a
microscope to search for
asbestos fibers. Asbestos does
not cause an immediate
reaction. It will not cause you
to cough, sneeze, or your eyes
to water. You cannot see,
smell, or taste asbestos. If
you skin becomes contaminated
with asbestos it will not burn
or itch.
Asbestos related diseases have
a very long latency period.
This is the time frame from
when you are first exposed to
asbestos until you become ill.
Most persons do not become ill
for at least ten years after
exposure and some not until
over forty years later.
Asbestosis, lung cancer, and
mesothelioma are all asbestos
related diseases. Asbestosis
occurs when asbestos fibers
enter the lungs. The body will
naturally produce an acid to
combat the fibers. However,
this acid can cause scarring in
the tissue of the lungs and in
advanced stages breathing
becomes more difficult and
painful. Asbestosis was first
documented in shipyard workers.
Asbestos can also cause lung
cancer. If a person smokes and
is exposed to asbestos, they
have a much greater chance of
developing lung cancer.
Mesothelioma is a type of
cancer that has only been
linked to asbestos exposure. It
is a cancer of the cells that
line the peritoneum (area
surrounding the abdominal
organs) and the pleura (area
outside of the lungs and inside
of the ribs).
There is a lot of debate and
controversy surrounding which
types of asbestos is harmful.
Some types of asbestos are
thought to be more dangerous
than others but all types of
asbestos exposure should be
avoided. Actinolite, amosite,
anthophyllite, crocidolite,
chrysotile (white asbestos),
and tremolite are all types of
asbestos. Chrysotile is the
type of asbestos most commonly
used in manufacturing
products.
Asbestos fibers are not visible
to the eye. If you feel you may
have been exposed to asbestos,
the most common method for
testing is a chest x-ray. The
x-ray will not show the
asbestos fibers but it can spot
early signs of lung disease.
There is no known cure for
asbestos related diseases.
Jeff Lakie is the founder of
Asbestos Resources a
website providing information
on
asbestos
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Asbestos related diseases have a very long latency
period. This is the time frame from when you are first exposed
to asbestos until you become ill. Most persons do not become
ill for at least ten years after exposure and some not until
over forty years later. Asbestosis, lung cancer, and
mesothelioma are all asbestos related diseases. Asbestosis
occurs when asbestos fibers enter the lungs. The body will
naturally produce an acid to combat the fibers. However, this
acid can cause scarring in the tissue of the lungs and in
advanced stages breathing becomes more difficult and painful.
Asbestosis was first documented in shipyard workers. Asbestos
can also cause lung cancer. If a person smokes and is exposed
to asbestos, they have a much greater chance of developing lung
cancer. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that has only been
linked to asbestos exposure. It is a cancer of the cells that
line the peritoneum (area surrounding the abdominal organs) and
the pleura (area outside of the lungs and inside of the
ribs).
There is a lot of debate and controversy surrounding which
types of asbestos is harmful. Some types of asbestos are
thought to be more dangerous than others but all types of
asbestos exposure should be avoided. Actinolite, amosite,
anthophyllite, crocidolite, chrysotile (white asbestos), and
tremolite are all types of asbestos. Chrysotile is the type of
asbestos most commonly used in manufacturing products.
Asbestos fibers are not visible to the eye. If you feel you may
have been exposed to asbestos, the most common method for
testing is a chest x-ray. The x-ray will not show the asbestos
fibers but it can spot early signs of lung disease. There is no
known cure for asbestos related diseases.
Jeff Lakie is the founder of Asbestos Resources a
website providing information on asbestos
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