Physical parameters of airborne asbestos fibres in various work environments-preliminary findings

The results of a pilot investigation to describe the physical parameters, length, aspect ratio, mass and shape of airborne fibres in a variety of industries producing processing and handling chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite are described. Samples of airborne dust were collected on nucleopore membrane filters and examined by scanning electron microscopy. The diameters and lengths of airborne fibres collected during the dumping of raw amosite at an asbestos products plant were greater than those of fibres collected during the application of amosite insulation. Chrysotile fibres collected in the carding area of an asbestos textile plant also tended to have smaller diameters than fibres collected in the dryer and bagging areas of an asbestos mill. The measurements of fibre dimensions indicate that the degree of protection afforded a worker by optical counts using the membrane filter technique is likely to depend on variety of asbestos and stage of processing. Preliminary results are not in conflict with experimental data suggesting that asbestosis might be related to the mass of airborne dust and primary malignant mesothelial tumors to exposure to fibres in a specific range of fibre diameter and length.