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When we think of our surroundings & stop to look around for just a minute we can be absolutely amazed at how wonderful the ways of nature are…we are blessed with so many things & nature is omnipresent in our lives .The gifts of nature to us are enormous, something we should learn to appreciate and be thankful for. This would be the good part, but there are also other elements of nature which lean on to the darker side, which can do us a lot of harm .The point of discussion here, is "Asbestos". Surely many of you wonder what exactly is this deadly form of mineral, while many of us know the harmful effects that asbestos can have on our health very few know about it? Well a feeble attempt to give you a clearer picture & something that will hopefully make you more aware. Asbestos is basically a group of six types of fibrous minerals namely amosite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and the fibrous varieties of tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite & all these occur naturally in the enviorment. These names might not sound very familiar but they are basically the contents of what is in more common terms known as asbestos. One of the minerals chrysolite belongs to the serpentile group of minerals, while all the others mentioned above are a part of the amphibole family. As we would know that asbestos is hazardous to health and can even lead to cancer.but the more dangerous type would be the amphibole type as compared to the chrysolite one. This bit was just the introduction of asbestos, now to go a step further and explain what happens to it when it enters the environment.the asbestos fibers do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water for that matter.What does happen is pieces of fibre enter the air & water from the weathering of natural deposits & wearing out of various asbestos products which are manufactured. Small diameter fibers and fiber-containing particles may remain suspended in the air for a long time and be carried long distances by wind or water currents before settling, whereas the larger particles settle faster. But asbestos fibres cannot move through soil. They don't get broken down into other compounds and hence remain in the environment virtually unchanged. When these fibres are inhaled, they may get trapped in the lungs. Levels of fibre in the lung tissue build up over a period of time, but fortunately some fibres like the chrysolite can be removed or degraded over a period of time from the lungs. Asbestos minerals are present in the environment in a large number, they are usually found in large natural deposits or as contaminants in other minerals. We are although most likely to be exposed to the asbestos present in the air that we breathe in. When we inhale these fibres into our lungs they area likely to get deposited in the air passages. These fibres come out of our lungs when we cough up or in the form of mucous enter our throats which is then carried on to our stomachs & are eventually drained out of our system within a few days .But the ones, which are stuck deep inside our lungs, are the ones, which are troublemakers for us. Over a period of regular inhalation of these fibers a scar like tissue is formed in the lungs & in the membrane surrounding the lungs, hence giving us a problem with our regular breathing. Blood flow to the lung in this case also decreases causing the heart to enlarge.This form of disease is called Asbestosis. The other diseases caused by asbestos fibres are Pleural plaques, Mesothelioma, a type of cancer etc.It can also cause cancer at other locations in our body like the stomach, pancreas, intestines esophagus & kidneys. Now that we know the causes & the sources of the diseases caused by this deadly fibre it is up to us to safeguard our health from this by keeping a watchful eye on our surrounding & getting a regular check up to keep our selves in the best of health in order to lead a more peaceful & long life. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, YOU NEED THE LAW FIRM OF BOURGAULT & HARDING CALL 800.880.1438 Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved Bourgault & Harding, A Law Firm 1100 East Bridger Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101 tel 702.384.8023 fax 702.384.5731 Nevada Asbestos Attorneys Disclaimer: The Las Vegas Auto Accidents, and Big-Rig Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Bicycle Accidents, Airplane Accidents, Bus & Train Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Boating & Watercraft Accidents, Swimming Pool Accidents, Amusement Park Accidents, Construction Site Accidents, Drunk Driver Accidents, Defective Roads Accidents, Wrongful Death, Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Burn Injury, Animal Attacks/Dog Bite, Slip and Fall Accidents, Premises Liability, Dangerous Drugs Litigation, Defective Medical Devices, Medical Malpractice, Legal Malpractice, Product Liability, Toxic Substances in Nevada. Please contact a Nevada Personal Injury Lawyer, Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorney. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the state of Nevada. ©2006 The Law Offices of Bourgault & Harding. Las Vegas, Nevada Personal Injury Lawyers, serving the communities of: Las Vegas, Clark County Nevada. 
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