The harm of asbestos fiber to human body

Asbestos is a commonly used decorative material in modern life. Its application rate is very high and it is needed in almost all decorations. The composition of asbestos is relatively simple, mainly asbestos fiber. This substance is a natural mineral, but its molecular density is small and it is easy to turn into dust, which brings some impacts to people. Let's take a look at whether asbestos fiber is harmful to the human body?

1. The harm of asbestos to human body:

Asbestos is a silicate mineral fiber that is widely used in building materials and fireproof boards. It is also the only natural mineral fiber. It has good tensile strength, good thermal insulation and corrosion resistance, and is not easy to burn, so it is widely used. There are many types of asbestos, among which chrysotile is the most abundant and has the widest range of uses. Asbestos itself is not toxic. Its greatest harm comes from its fibers, which are very fine and almost invisible to the naked eye. When these fine fibers are inhaled into the human body, they will attach to and deposit in the lungs, causing lung diseases such as asbestosis, and mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. These lung diseases often have a long incubation period (generally 15-20 years for lung cancer and 20-40 years for mesothelioma), and in severe cases can cause lung cancer. Asbestos has been confirmed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

2. Sources of indoor asbestos:

(1) The insulation and soundproofing materials of ceilings and pipes in some old houses are mostly asbestos products. When these asbestos materials are dismantled, cut, and reshaped, a large number of tiny asbestos fibers will float in the air. Some building materials and home decoration materials such as asbestos cement and vinyl plastic flooring can emit tiny asbestos fibers.

(2) Asbestos cement pipes acting on water pipes can cause drinking water contamination.

(3) External sources: Due to the fineness of asbestos fibers, they can easily attach to the human body and be brought into the room.

3. Some standards about asbestos:

At present, there is no quality standard for indoor air asbestos concentration in any country. Generally, the maximum allowable concentration can be used as a reference:

China: The threshold limit value of chrysotile asbestos in workshop air is 2 fibers/cubic centimeter (fibers of about 5 μm)

United States: The weighted average concentration of six types of asbestos, including chrysotile, asbestos dust, and amosite, is 2 fibers/cubic centimeter (fibers larger than 5μm).