Settled Dust and Other Non-Building Materials

The analysis of Settled Dust and other Non-Building Materials for asbestos content continues to be a growing and controversial subject in the environmental industry.  Whether to establish baseline levels, survey historical buildup, or to diagnose episodic releases, the utility of surface dust analysis has proven efficacy for the environmental professional.

The established methods published by ASTM call for detailed field sampling schemes and analysis by TEM.  (See FAQ)  ASTM D5755, D5756, and D6480 have been developed for this specialized analysis. Though TEM is the method of choice, proprietary in-house methods using PLM can be employed. iATL cautions its clients against the use of non-peer reviewed methods due to the limitations of certain analytical techniques.

Data interpretation may prove difficult for these methods.  There are several comprehensive references available for responsible environmental professionals who desire to be informed of the utility of these methods – including ASTM D7390-07 – Standard Guide for Evaluating Asbestos in Dust.

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