The Appalachians, which use up Virginia and a lot of other USA. states, have deposits of asbestos, a naturally happening mineral that can induce mesothelioma, a virulent form of cancer. Virginia bears a number of asbestos densities along the Blue Ridge Mountains and Maryland state boundary, west of Washington, D.C.
In Virginia, 2 mines were determined to contain asbestos sediments. While these asbestos-containing mines have been shut down, Virginia still engages a vermiculite mine in Louisa. By itself, vermiculite is a secure material applied for insulation. Yet, asbestos can pollute other minerals as they're mined.
During 2000, the Louisa vermiculite mine underwent testing to identify the presence of asbestos. The tests, which were conducted by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, evaluated 30 air samples. Each air sample showed a hazardous level of asbestos. Also, 12 samples of ore and rocks also showed a presence of two other types of asbestos. The Virginia mine has been likened to the well-publicized vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana, where 200 people in the town developed asbestos-related diseases.
The Virginia vermiculite mine sells approximately 100,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite every year to be used in hundreds of products across the country. Many researchers feel that the risk of asbestos-related illnesses extends beyond those employed in the Virginia mine. People in town have reportedly been using the waste rock for many years. Likewise, workers of companies who produce and sell the contaminated vermiculite may also have a chance of developing an asbestos-related illness.
Virginia's history of asbestos use extends beyond its mines. Used for its heat resistance and insulating properties, asbestos could be found in a number of Virginia industrial locations, such as oil refineries, factories and power plants. Virginia shipyards, such as the Newport News Shipyard, also used the mineral in many ways. The shipbuilding industry became very active during the world wars, and studies show that many Veterans and federal contractors died from asbestos-related diseases as a result of working in the shipyards.
Asbestos was also used in the power generation industry. The mineral was used on mechanical equipment, machinery and pipes. During normal operations or repair, asbestos-containing machinery could release tiny fibers into the air. If inhaled, the asbestos fibers can build up and eventually cause lung cancer, mesothelioma or asbestosis.
Approximately 1400 Virginians have died as a result of an asbestos-related disease between 1980 and 2000. Many of these individuals were diagnosed with asbestosis, which causes a scarring of the lung tissue. Although asbestosis does not always result in death, its prognosis typically worsens when discovered during the later stages.
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Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart, the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to the dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Wikipedia
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to the dust and fiber in other ways. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Wikipedia
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