| Amosite asbestos is more commonly referred to as "brown" asbestos and sometimes "gray" asbestos. This form of asbestos was found and is mined in South Africa and is considered to be one of the more hazardous forms of the material, second only to "blue" asbestos. In fact, a large portion of South Africans who worked in the many asbestos mines there have been sickened with some sort of asbestos-related disease. Countless numbers have died.
From the amphibole group - which is naturally more hazardous than serpentine asbestos - amosite asbestos was, at one time, the second most prevalent type of asbestos found in building materials, accounting for about 5% of all asbestos used in factories and other commercial buildings. Its color comes from the natural presence of iron and magnesium found in this form of asbestos.
The amosite variety of asbestos was used primarily as a fire retardant in thermal insulation products, like ceiling tiles. Brown asbestos is now banned in most countries and has been for a number of years, but it can still be found in older products and structures, therefore still posing potential dangers, especially because this form of asbestos is highly friable. That means it crumbles easily when damaged, therefore releasing airborne fibers which can then be inhaled by those in the vicinity of the material.
There are different forms of asbestos. A certain form that is prone to causing mesothelioma is amosite. Asbestos can be classified into two specific groups, serpentine and amphibole. The amphibole group contains five different forms of asbestos, and amosite is one of them. Asbestos in the amphibole group can be placed into this category because of their chain like structures of fibers. Amosite can be bent into arch-like structures because of its flexibility. This, in turn, causes the fibers to break into smaller bundles and creates sharp, needle-thin fibers.
This type of asbestos are found as long-thing threads or flat prisms that are usually found in bundles. These fibers are so dangerous because how quickly they can become small, sharp fibers. Amosite fibers can be located in any building that used or manufactured asbestos related materials. This type of fiber was used less frequently than other forms of asbestos, but used commercially because of its strength and indestructible ability. Amosite is a type of material that was found and distributed mainly from South Africa.
Amosite can be spotted in buildings and industrial plants. This form of asbestos was fairly uncommon and its use was limited in manufacturing companies around the Untied States. It is a stable form of asbestos as long as it is not tampered with. Its only toxicity is if its airborne fibers are inhaled. This can eventually lead to lung-related illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. If amosite is disturbed it should be properly sealed off in the location that it is in and removed properly (by at least contacting an asbestos removal professional for advice) and disposed of in the proper landfill. In order for the toxic material to be harmless, it needs to be buried in a specific landfill designed for asbestos removal. After amosite is deposited and it begins to decompose, little is known about its hazardous effects. |
