Asbestos is a terrifying mineral. Terrifying, silent, and scarily common. If this lurks in the air you breathe, every breath you take will end up with another of its fibers hooked into the tissue of your lungs. As you continue to breathe the contaminated air, the mineral's hold on you grows stronger with every breath. You may not know at first, but once it is too late, the carcinogen may kill you. Exposure to asbestos can cause deadly lung disease. No amount of asbestos exposure is safe; any exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma or other cancers and diseases.
Some materials that commonly contain asbestos are floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, cement siding, along with many other building materials.
Asbestos does not have any smell, and the fibers in the air are microscopic. Because of its widespread use in construction during the 20th century, many homes and buildings contain the mineral. While harmless when inside the material, whatever it is inside will inevitably break down eventually.
If you don't know whether your home or building contains asbestos, it is a good idea to test the building for the mineral. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that an asbestos survey take place before demolition or renovation. This is because, if demolition or renovation happens, and materials are removed or broken which contain asbestos, the fibers are disturbed and released into the air, harming anyone nearby. It is wise to have an asbestos inspection and air test conducted in older buildings where asbestos may have been disturbed due to age. If any asbestos material is then removed, or if any repairs are made, such as a sealing of the asbestos location, it is prudent to have another air test carried out, to make sure no asbestos lingers in the air.
What is air testing, and what can you do to make sure your test is accurate? Currently, two types of air testing exist, and they are Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). While both PCM and TEM are reliable, TEM is more so, because it can detect very small fibers, meaning it has less difficulty with the larger ones.
When air is tested using Phase Contrast Microscopy, a pump draws samples through a filter. The filter is then cut out, and examined under a microscope. Testing with PCM is quick and inexpensive, but only identifies large fibers in the air. With Phase Contrast Microscopy, asbestos fibers can not be differentiated from other fibers such as fiberglass. PCM can identify some fibers, and it can detect the presence of fibers in the air, but asbestos can not be positively identified.
With Transmission Electron Microscopy, samples of the air are sent to the lab. There, it is blasted with electrons in an electron microscope. The microscopist then can see fine details, identifying not only asbestos, but types of asbestos, and very small asbestos fibers.
For many asbestos projects, PCM is chosen for its quickness and cost-effectiveness. If the project requires accurate results, TEM is used. It is a good idea to use TEM after an asbestos removal project is completed, and before people come back to the area, to make sure the air is clear of asbestos.
Some materials that commonly contain asbestos are floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, cement siding, along with many other building materials.
Asbestos does not have any smell, and the fibers in the air are microscopic. Because of its widespread use in construction during the 20th century, many homes and buildings contain the mineral. While harmless when inside the material, whatever it is inside will inevitably break down eventually.
If you don't know whether your home or building contains asbestos, it is a good idea to test the building for the mineral. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that an asbestos survey take place before demolition or renovation. This is because, if demolition or renovation happens, and materials are removed or broken which contain asbestos, the fibers are disturbed and released into the air, harming anyone nearby. It is wise to have an asbestos inspection and air test conducted in older buildings where asbestos may have been disturbed due to age. If any asbestos material is then removed, or if any repairs are made, such as a sealing of the asbestos location, it is prudent to have another air test carried out, to make sure no asbestos lingers in the air.
What is air testing, and what can you do to make sure your test is accurate? Currently, two types of air testing exist, and they are Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). While both PCM and TEM are reliable, TEM is more so, because it can detect very small fibers, meaning it has less difficulty with the larger ones.
When air is tested using Phase Contrast Microscopy, a pump draws samples through a filter. The filter is then cut out, and examined under a microscope. Testing with PCM is quick and inexpensive, but only identifies large fibers in the air. With Phase Contrast Microscopy, asbestos fibers can not be differentiated from other fibers such as fiberglass. PCM can identify some fibers, and it can detect the presence of fibers in the air, but asbestos can not be positively identified.
With Transmission Electron Microscopy, samples of the air are sent to the lab. There, it is blasted with electrons in an electron microscope. The microscopist then can see fine details, identifying not only asbestos, but types of asbestos, and very small asbestos fibers.
For many asbestos projects, PCM is chosen for its quickness and cost-effectiveness. If the project requires accurate results, TEM is used. It is a good idea to use TEM after an asbestos removal project is completed, and before people come back to the area, to make sure the air is clear of asbestos.
