ABSTRACT
Asbestos constitutes several types of hydrated silicate mineral fibers. This chapter presents the types of asbestos, their chemical compositions, and CAS Numbers. Asbestos can be determined by several analytical techniques, including optical microscopy, electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), light scattering, laser microprobe mass analysis, and thermal analysis. It can also be characterized by chemical analysis of metals by atomic absorption, x-ray fluorescence, or neutron activation techniques. Electron microscopy methods are, however, commonly applied for the analysis of asbestos in environmental matrices. The chapter also presents detailed information on the air analysis and analysis of aqueous samples of asbestos. During the analysis of aqueous samples of asbestos, a measured volume of sample is filtered through a membrane filter. A section of the filter from any quadrant of sample and blank filters are "prepared" and transferred to a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grid. During the air analysis, air is drawn through a 0.8–1.2 mm cellulose-ester membrane filter.
