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http://dx.doi.org/10.5668/JEHS.2009.35.5.426

Critical Issues on Health Risk of Asbestos  

Yoon, Chung-Sik (Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences / v.35, no.5, 2009 , pp. 426-432 More about this Journal
Abstract
Asbestos is a commercial term of natural occurring silicated minerals and forms long, thin fibers. Chrysotile, the serpentine asbestos, accounts for most use in commercial use. Asbestos is well known health hazard material and it is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to increased risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis. In these days, people most at risk for exposure are maintenance and construction workers and general citizens who are working on and close to the work area at which asbestos containing material is disturbing. Non asbestiform, though its chemical composition is same with regulated asbestos, is known to be less hazardous than asbestiform. Exposure guideline, 0.01 f/ml, is not safe level in terms of health risk. It is reasonable to take preventable action when asbestos is suspicious. In Korea, it is necessary to clarify the concept between hazard and risk, to differentiate asbestiform from non asbestiform, to make regulations for compensation for asbestos related patients, to manage future exposure for general citizens.
Keywords
Asbestos; asbestiform; chrysotile; exposure; risk; fiber;
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