hello,
i am interested in making couple of experiments where i would test exposure to fibers by accidntaly diy working.
since there is no safe limit experiment would be in enclosed box. First experiment i want to make is what would happen iff you accidentaly scratch asbestos corugate cement.
let say there is roof of asbestos and near children are playing ball goes accidentaly on roof. Kids try to get ball from roof and try to climb on roof. how much fibers would be on their clothes?
i would use rug and. enclosed box for simulating this situation .
Or what would happen if diy-er working in his garage on some old engine and run in to caf gasket and brake it.
Unknowingly he can take this fibers home. how much would be fibers. for this experiment i was thinking to take adhesive tape on points off interest with sticky side up to collect fibers that would fall on his clothes.
I have negative presure box enclosure with hepa for that experiments
for analize i have pcm microscope with walton becket graticule but no hsm test slide as Niosh rulles.
I have sampling pumps but thinking that with pump on point of interested i would not get results what i want beacose pump would trapp more fibers than rug.
sorry for my english. i never have any official english leason
Any suggestion?
asbestos counting
Re: asbestos counting
Hi jos32,
It looks like you have a pretty interesting project in mind.
I think I would use different collection methods than you are suggesting. If you are sampling the asbestos content in such things as the cement roofing material or gasket material I think a small, carefully excised sample would yield better results than the rug or the tape. It seems that a lot would be lost in the collection device. In the case of the airborne particles I would use the vacuum pump and filter. If you can quantify the volume of air sampled and you can get a better idea of what the "normally occurring" condition may be.
The selection of your microscope is pretty important. In my experience the dark phase contrast Nikon and Olympus models are very dependable and in optimal conditions fall within the guidelines NIOSH has established. Zeiss also works, but I have only one client who uses a Zeiss. The Meiji microscope also works well. I have seen no Chinese phase contrast sets that will pass the test. If you are knowledgeable about the various asbestos types you can probably get a fair idea of what is going on, but there are many other things that will often mimic the appearance of the asbestos and phase contrast is not enough of a test to determine what you have.
I'm sure everyone is eager to hear your conclusions.
lorez
Having your microscope in top operating condition is as important as having the phase shift test slide.
It looks like you have a pretty interesting project in mind.
I think I would use different collection methods than you are suggesting. If you are sampling the asbestos content in such things as the cement roofing material or gasket material I think a small, carefully excised sample would yield better results than the rug or the tape. It seems that a lot would be lost in the collection device. In the case of the airborne particles I would use the vacuum pump and filter. If you can quantify the volume of air sampled and you can get a better idea of what the "normally occurring" condition may be.
The selection of your microscope is pretty important. In my experience the dark phase contrast Nikon and Olympus models are very dependable and in optimal conditions fall within the guidelines NIOSH has established. Zeiss also works, but I have only one client who uses a Zeiss. The Meiji microscope also works well. I have seen no Chinese phase contrast sets that will pass the test. If you are knowledgeable about the various asbestos types you can probably get a fair idea of what is going on, but there are many other things that will often mimic the appearance of the asbestos and phase contrast is not enough of a test to determine what you have.
I'm sure everyone is eager to hear your conclusions.
lorez
Having your microscope in top operating condition is as important as having the phase shift test slide.
Re: asbestos counting
i am interested in second hand exposure on clothes but not from workers where you could find many fibers but when accidntaly got asbestos fibers on clothes. I have seen old roofs of asbestos i have even make macro photogrphy of new roof where it could be seen that there is fiber protruding from surface. So i got wondering as they say that asbestos roofs are safe as long as not touched but on macro i could clearly see fibers from material what would happen with kids clothes if they try to climb on that roof when trying to catch the ball. what if kid whipes his nose with sleeve after climbing ? how much there would be fibers on his clothes after rubbing to old acm plate while climbing.
As for microscope i have couple but old phase contrast one is poland pzo k3ph and other is leitz, i have one modern trinocular microscope by radical instruments hopefully that one from them would be ok...
As for microscope i have couple but old phase contrast one is poland pzo k3ph and other is leitz, i have one modern trinocular microscope by radical instruments hopefully that one from them would be ok...