According to the TriValley Dispatch, University of Nevada, Las Vegas geology professor Brenda Buck said this marks the first discovery of naturally occurring asbestos fibers in Southern Nevada:

A team of UNLV geologists is trying to figure out why potentially toxic, naturally occurring asbestos type minerals is in rocks and dust from Boulder City to the southeastern edge of the Las Vegas Valley.

• A peer-reviewed study detailing the find was published last month in the journal of the Soil Science Society of America
  • Amphibole asbestos minerals are known human carcinogens, and many regulations have been developed to limit occupational exposure
  • We found naturally occurring asbestos fibrous actinolite, a regulated amphibole asbestos mineral, in rock, soil, and dust that can be transported by wind, water, cars, or on clothing after outdoor recreational activities
  • The morphology of the amphibole fibers is similar to amphibole fibers found in the US EPA Superfund site at Libby, MT
  • Because large populations in Boulder City, Henderson, and Las Vegas are located only a few kilometers, sometimes even only a few tens of meters, downwind from the naturally occurring asbestos sources, and because most of the particles are transported in suspension after they are emitted, potentially large populations in Boulder City, Henderson, and perhaps Las Vegas could be exposed.
  • This study demonstrates a potential public health risk from the naturally occurring asbestos to several large population areas.

• actinolite was found, one of six types of asbestos regulated as a toxic substance by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Asbestos fibers can’t be absorbed through the skin, but if inhaled or swallowed they can spawn a range of deadly diseases that might not develop for a decade or decades.
• Asbestos exposure is linked to mesothelioma, cancer of the lungs, larynx and ovaries, depressed immune function, and other disorders.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease of the pleural lining with a dismal prognosis.  Mesothelioma can be contracted from asbestos exposure and many mesothelioma victims were in the armed forces, in particular, the Navy.

Asbestos fibers have been used in the manufacturing of a wide variety of industrial and household products in the United States and around the world.  For more on mesothelioma and asbestos and filing an asbestos lawsuit or mesothelioma lawsuit, please visit the links below:

• An Overview
• Asbestos Connection
• Exposure to Asbestos
• Signs and Symptoms
• Diagnosis/Staging and Treatment
• Go To Asbestos
• Resources
• Asbestos & Mesothelioma News

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