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Asbestos Exposure

Although asbestos is notorious for its risks today, this substance has been recognized for its strength, heat resistance and durability since ancient times. The Greeks used asbestos in making cloth, and the Romans used it in building materials. Asbestos was mined in North America in the late 1800s and its use increased significantly during World War II.

The health risks of asbestos exposure have been known since the late 19th century. However, the first recorded cases of asbestos-related diseases in the United States were not diagnosed until 1935. It is believed that asbestos risks were largely ignored in favor of the business benefits of its industrial use.

Asbestos was eventually regulated by the federal government under the Clean Air Act of 1970, and a moratorium was imposed on the production of most asbestos products in the early 1970s. To further reduce the risks of asbestos exposure in the workplace and home, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos-containing products in 1989.

How Asbestos Exposure Occurs

Exposure to asbestos most commonly occurs when tiny asbestos fibers suspended in the air are inhaled or swallowed. While these fibers may come from the natural environment, many come from man-made products such as insulation, ceiling and floor tiles, roof shingles, cement, automotive brakes and clutches, and many others. Asbestos exposure can also occur by drinking water contaminated with asbestos fibers from natural deposits or cement water pipes. Because asbestos fibers are highly resistant to chemicals, they do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water, and they do not break down over time.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, some of the fibers will be deposited in the air passages and on the cells of the lungs. Most fibers will be removed from the lungs by being carried away in a layer of mucus to the throat, where they are swallowed into the stomach. This process usually takes place within a few hours of asbestos exposure, but fibers that are deposited in the deepest parts of the lung may remain in place for many years or even forever.

When asbestos fibers are swallowed in water or as described above, nearly all the fibers pass through intestines and are excreted in the feces. A small number of fibers may become stuck in the cells that line the stomach or intestines, or penetrate the lining and enter the bloodstream to become trapped in other tissues or removed in the urine.

Symptoms of Asbestos Exposure

Those who have been exposed to asbestos fibers on the job or at home may experience the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• A cough or a change in cough pattern
• Blood in the sputum (fluid coughed up from the lungs)
• Pain in the chest or abdomen
• Difficulty in swallowing or prolonged hoarseness
• Significant weight loss

A complete physical examination by a doctor is necessary to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease, such as malignant mesothelioma.