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Asbestos Exposure:
It's Effects on Health

The detrimental affect on the health of people exposed to asbestos fibers has been well documented. Many studies have been conducted on laboratory animals and cell cultures to investigate the specific mechanism by which asbestos initiates or promotes disease.

Asbestos Exposure - The Route of Entry

Like any hazardous material, asbestos must first travel to the site where it can cause disease. The primary route of exposure is through the air. There have been reports of asbestos warts due to asbestos fibres becoming imbedded in the skin; however, this appears to be a rare occurrence. There is also some concern that excessive exposure through ingestion, such as in drinking water, may lead to an increased rate of disease. The greatest concern is exposure through inhalation.

The Respiratory Systems' Defense Against Asbestos

Since the primary route of exposure is through inhalation, it is important to review the respiratory system and gain a brief understanding of its defense mechanisms. As air is inhailed through the nose or mouth it must pass across membranes that are covered with a sticky mucous. Large particles of dust and fibers, which are often visible to the naked eye, are trapped at this point and and prevented from going further into the respiratory system. Smaller particles will be carried along into the air passages, including the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles.

The air passageways have numerous turns ans branches making it a turbulent trip for dust particles and fibres. These passageways are also lined with special cells that have hairlike projections into the cavities of the air passageways. These "cilia" are hair-like projections and beat upward in a wave-like fashion. They are also covered with a sticky mucous which forms a layer across the surface of the passageways. When particles of dust impact this sticky coating, they dhere and are propelled upeard by the cilia. Eventually the mucus layer with dust imbedded in it is carried out of the lung and into the back of the mouth where it is expelled or swallowed.

The smallest dust particles may travel through the air passageways and be deposited into terminal air sacs called "alveoli". the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place within the alveoli. With the incoming air also comes dust, pollen, and other particles such as asbestos fibres.

When dust and asbestos fibres are deposited inside the alveoli, they thrgger a response. Large cells, called "macrophages" move across the surface of the air sac and engulf the invading particle. When the particle is a mineral, such as silica (quartz) or asbestos, it cannot digest it. Eventually, layer upon layer is built up to form scar tissue. This buildup of scar tissue in the lungs leads to a disease called "asbestosis".

Asbestosis

Abestosis, or scarring of the lungs was first ddescribed in England in 1907. It was the first disease recognized as linked to asbestos fiber exposure. The alveolar wall thickening reduces the ability of the lung to expand and contract normally. This results in a retracted or restricted lung with an inability to exchange oxygen and, to a lesser degree, carbon dioxide in a normal manner.

The buildup of scar tissue in the lung occurs gradually over many years. A worker exposed to high concentrations of asbestos may not experience any overt symptoms for 10 to 30 years after the start of the exposure.

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