Surface and Passive Monitoring for Asbestos in an Industrial Facility

• Published in: Indoor + built environment 2002, Vol.11 (6), p.327-333
• Main Authors: Lange, J.H., Thomulka, K.W., Lee, R.J., van Orden, D.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Paper
• ISSN: 1420-326X; 1423-0070
• DOI: 10.1159/000068233

Surface and passive (deposition) samples were collected from an industrial facility that previously had partial asbestos abatement. Sampling, both surface and passive, was conducted in instrument control rooms and adjacent hallways. Complete abatement was performed in control rooms and partial abatement in hallways. The sampling time period for this study was 45 days. Sampling was conducted from both vertical and horizontal surfaces using surface particulate adhesive and passive samplers (deposition-dust fall samplers). A floor sample exhibited the highest surface loading. Overall, floors and countertops had similar surface loading with walls having the lowest. The highest wall surface loading did not exceed some of the lower values for floors and countertops. Deposition of asbestos structures was low and consisted primarily of structures smaller than 5 µm in length. Surface concentration in structures per square millimeters for surfaces ranged from the detection limit, which was less than 25, to approximately 363,400. Use of surface and passive sampling for evaluating fallout and surfacing loads of asbestos is discussed.