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The quality of fiber counts using improved slides with relocatable fields.
Thomas W S Pang1, Martin Harper
1Ryerson University, School of Public and Occupational Health, Room 249A350, Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
Journal of Environmental Monitoring : JEM
|January 5, 2008
Summary
A new parameter effectively monitors airborne fiber count quality by analyzing discrepancies between reported and verified fibers. This method helps improve analyst proficiency and reduce counting errors in quality control programs.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Occupational Health
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Accurate airborne fiber counting is crucial for occupational health and safety.
- Existing proficiency testing programs may not fully capture all sources of error in fiber analysis.
- Relocatable slides and reference slides are used in proficiency testing for airborne fiber analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a parameter based on discrepancies between reported and verified fibers for monitoring airborne fiber count quality.
- To identify and quantify sources of error in fiber counting, including sizing and oversight errors.
- To propose a scoring system for evaluating analyst proficiency in fiber counting.
Main Methods:
- Manufactured reference (REF) slides from proficiency analytical test (PAT) filter samples containing chrysotile or amosite.
- Utilized coverglasses with a grid pattern for accurate re-examinations of fibers.
- Calculated a discrepancy parameter and a proficiency score based on reported versus verified fiber counts.
Main Results:
- A parameter based on discrepancies between reported and verified fibers effectively monitors airborne fiber count quality.
- Over-estimation of amosite fibers (38.3%) was primarily due to sizing-extra errors (82.6%).
- Under-estimation of chrysotile fibers (30.4%) was mainly caused by oversight-missing errors (96.7%).
- The proposed proficiency score showed that a significant number of results did not meet a score of 60.
- Fiber counting errors were more prevalent than expected by PAT proficiency criteria.
Conclusions:
- The developed discrepancy parameter is effective for monitoring airborne fiber counting quality.
- Reference slides can complement existing proficiency test programs by providing detailed feedback on discrepancies.
- Implementing internal quality control using REF slides and control charts can help laboratories monitor errors and improve analyst proficiency.
