Asbestos Overview and Handling Recommendations: Part VII Annexes: Annex 7: Asbestos data from the environmental handbook Vol. III: Compendium of environmental standards

Annex 7: Asbestos data from the environmental handbook Vol. III: Compendium of environmental standards

ASBESTOS

DESIGNATIONS

CAS No.:	1332-21-4
Registry name:	Asbestos
Chemical name:	Asbestos
Synonyms, Trade names:	Serpentine Asbestos, amphibole Asbestos, fibre Asbestos, blue Asbestos
Chemical name (German):	Asbest
Chemical name (French):	Amiante
Appearance:	fibrous, impure minerals whose colour varies between pure white and green, brown or grey depending on the iron-oxide content; crocidolite is blue (blue Asbestos); the fibres are between 20 and 25 nm long; Asbestos fibres are smooth and greasy to the touch.

BASIC CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL DATA

Asbestos is not a chemical element, but rather an umbrella term for two groups of minera (serpentine and amphibole Asbestos)

	Serpentine	Amphibole
	Chrysotile	Crocidolite	Amosite	Anthophyllite	Tremolite	Actinolite
Empirical	Mg₃	Na₂Fe₂(Fe,Mg)₃	(Fe,Mg)₇	Mg₇	Ca₂Mg₅	Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅
formula:	Si₂O₅(OH)₄	Si₈O₂₂ (OH)₂	Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂	Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂	Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂	Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Rel
molecul.	277.13g	1,008.82g	1,171.83 g	780.88 g	812.42 g	1,091.67 g
Density:	2.2-2.6 g/cm³	2.8-3.6 g/cm³	2.9-3.3 g/cm³	2.8-3.2 g/cm³	2.9-3.2 g/cm³	3.0-3.21 g/cm³
Melting point:	1,500°C	1,200°C	1,400°C	1,450°C	1,31 5°C	1,400°C

Flash point Asbestos is non-combustible, resistant to heat and features a lo conductivity in water: insoluble

ORIGIN AND USE

Usage:
Because of its heat-resistance and suppleness and its capacity for being incorporated into inorganic and organic binders, Asbestos is used in industry for thermal insulation, fireproofing and sealing in addition to acting as a filler in the production of countless composites (more than 3000). Economic exploitation is centred on chrysotile Asbestos from the serpentine group (95 %). 5 % of amphibole Asbestos is used for Asbestos-fibre production.

Spun Asbestos is used for fireproof, chemical-resistant clothing. When mixed with cement, Asbestos is cast to form panels and pipes (70 - 90 % of the world production is used in the construction industry in Western Europe; ace. WHO, 1987). Asbestos has also been used as a filter material in the drinks and pharmaceutical industry and for the manufacture of brake and clutch linings for motor vehicles.

Origin/derivation:
Asbestos is extremely widespread in nature. The most important deposits are to be found in the former Soviet Union, Canada and South Africa. Natural emissions are produced for example by the weathering of serpentine rocks.

Production figures:
Worldwide production in 1983 was in excess of 4 million tons (WHO, 1987). The main producers are as follows (WHO, 1986):

USSR	1983:	2,250,000 t/a
Canada	1983:	820,000 t/a
South Africa	1983:	221,111 t/a
Brazil	1983:	158,855 t/a
Zimbabwe	1983:	153,221 t/a
Italy	1983:	139,054 t/a
China	1983:	110,000 t/a

TOXICITY

Humans:	TCLo 2.8 fibres/cm³/5 years	acc.UBA, 1986
	TCLo 1.2 fibres/cm³/19 years without interruption	ace. UBA, 1986
Mammals:
Rat	TDLo 100 mg/kg, intrapleural	ace. UBA, 1986

As yet there are no known characteristic toxicology data (DVGW, 1988).

CHARACTERISTIC EFFECTS:

HUMANS/MAMMALS:

Various Asbestos-induced illnesses are known from the industrial medicine sector in which the size of the fibres plays a crucial role. Generally speaking, fibres with a diameter of less than 2 ym and a length of more than 5 ym are considered to be hazardous to health (diameter: length = 1: 3). Such a fibre size is capable of entering the lungs, gathering there and becoming encapsulated. Fibres have also been found to have a certain migration capability in the organism and the cell metabolism. Accumulation in the lungs causes sclerosis of the pulmonary alveoli and thus impairs the oxygen exchange. The inhalation of large quantities of fibre can cause asbes otosis which increases the risk of bronchial cancer. In particular, dusts < 200 ym are highly toxic and suspected of being a direct cause of tumours. Exposure to Asbestos irritates the eyes and the respiratory tract. Direct penetration into damaged skin produces excessive horrification. Fibres in the lungs bring about chronic bronchitis, irritation of the pleura and pleurisy. l:)istension of the lungs can result in lung cancer. Workplace exposure may produce periods of latency in the gastro-intestinal tract lasting up to 40 years.

ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR

Water:
Asbestos fibres cause water to become turbid, but are not soluble in water.

Air:
The dwell time in the atmosphere is dependent on the fibre size. Asbestos fibres can be transported over hundreds of kilometres in the atmosphere. Weathering produces short and thin Asbestos fibres from the coarse dust.

Soil:
If Asbestos fibres get into the soil, they accumulate on the surface and may be scattered again at any time. Particles in excess of 2 ym are not washed into the soil pores. In the soil itself and in sediments, Asbestos is considered to be harmless (DVGW, 1988). Asbestos dusts in refuse or on dumps must be covered or moistened during transportation to stop them ingressing into the air. Soils and sediments in general are considered as accumulation sites.

Half-life:
The half-life of fibres on mucous membranes is a matter of minutes - hours or days years after penetration into the tissue (HORN, 1989).

Food chain:
Asbestos fibres penetrate into organisms via drinking water. The pollution of drinking water is caused by fibres in Asbestos-cement pipes. The impact is a function of the calcium-carbonate saturation of the water and depends on the number of iron-oxide deposits in the pipes. There is as yet no proof of oral Asbestos intake causing cancer.

ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

Medium/ acceptor	Sector	Country/ organ.	Status	Value	Cat.	Remarks	Source
Air:	Workp	A	L	250,000f/m³		chrysotile [1991]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	B	L	150,000 f/m³		crocidolite [1987]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	B	L	1,000,000 f/m³		other Asbestos [1987]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	CH	L	1,000,000 f/m³		dusts [1988]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	DK	L	300,000 f/m³		crocidolite, celling value (15min) [1988]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	DK	L	300,000 f/m³		other Asbestos [1988]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	F	L	500,000 f/m³		crocidolite [1987]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	F	L	1,000,000 f/m³		other Asbestos [1987]	ace. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	D	L	250,000 f/m³	TRK	chrysotile [1990]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	D	G	50,000 f/m³	TRK	crocidolite, remediation [1990]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	GB	L	200,000 f/m³		crocidolite, 4h [1984]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	GB	L	500,000f/m³		other Asbestos, 4h, [1984]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	DDR	L	1,000,000flm³		dusts [1983]	acc, Albracht, 1991
	Workp	DDR	L	2,000,000 f/m³		short time value(30 min) [1983]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	GR	L	500,000 f/m³		crocidolite [1988]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	GR	L	1,000,000 f/m³		other Asbestos [1988]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	IRL	L	500,000 f/m³		crocidolite [1989]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	IRL	L	1,000,000 f/m³		other Asbestos [1989]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	NL	L	200,000 f/m³		crocidolite, ceiling valu (10 min) 11989]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	N L	L	2,000,000 f/m³		Other Asbestos, 4h 119891	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	S	L	200,000 f/m³		Asbestos (except chrysotile) 119871	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	USA	L	200,000f/m³		Asbestosl1986]	acc. Albracht, 1991
	Workp	USA	G	200,000 f/m³		amosite	AMIH, 1988
	Workp	USA	G	500,000 f/m³		crocidolite	ACGIH, 1988
	Workp	USA	G	2,000,000 f/m³		chrydile,other Asbestos	ACGIH, 1988
	Air	F	(L)	0.1 mg/m³		Emission (dust)	acc.MEEKetal, 1985
	Air	D	L	0.1 mg/m³		TA-L fine dust, mass flow 2 0.5g/h	acc.DVGW, 1988
	Air	DDR	L	0.005 mg/m³	MlK_k		ace. HORN, 1989
Foodstiff:	Drinkw	USA	L	7,100,000 UI		Average and long fibre	acc.wGW, 1988

Note:
There is virtually a complete ban in Denmark on materials containing Asbestos for production, import and utilization. Norway, Sweden and Holland control the Asbestos content of insulating materials and consumer goods in supplementary legislation.

COMPARISON/REFERENCE VALUES

Medium/origin	Country	Value	Source
Surface water:
Northem Lake Constance (1981 )	D	< 5 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Southern Lake Constance (1981 )	D	10-20 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
FranconianForest(1981)	D	10-50 fibres/l x10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Bavarian Forest (1981 )	D	< 5-30 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Groundwater:
Northern Germany (1981 )	D	4-100 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Franconian Forest (1981 )	D	< 5-60 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Drinking water:
10 utility companies (1981)	D	5-1000 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Montreal(1971)	CDN	2,000-9,500 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Toronto (1974)	C D N	700-4,100 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Duluth(1974)	USA	20,000-75,000 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988
Chicago(1977)	USA	80-2,300 fibres/l x 10³	acc. DVGW, 1988

ASSESSMENT/COMMENTS

Asbestos fibres are released into the environment by natural and anthropogenic processes. The liberation of Asbestos during the manufacture and processing of materials containing Asbestos must be significantly reduced especially in confined areas and at workplaces because of the great hazard to the respiratory organs and in particular the lungs. There is increasing speculation that the oral intake of Asbestos can cause tumours. Therefore, there is no justification for the further use of Asbestos cement in drinking water pipes. Numerous products containing substitute materials are now making it possible to dispense with the use of substances containing Asbestos.