Standard Test Method for Airborne Asbestos Concentration in Ambient and Indoor Atmospheres as Determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy Direct Transfer (TEM)

Available format(s)

Hardcopy , PDF

Language(s)

English

Published date

12-09-2023

Publisher

American Society for Testing and Materials

1.1This test method2 is an analytical procedure using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for the determination of the concentration of asbestos structures in ambient atmospheres and includes measurement of the dimension of structures and of the asbestos fibers found in the structures from which aspect ratios are calculated.

1.1.1This test method allows determination of the type(s) of asbestos fibers present.

1.1.2This test method cannot always discriminate between individual fibers of the asbestos and non-asbestos analogues of the same amphibole mineral.

1.2This test method is suitable for determination of asbestos in both ambient (outdoor) and building atmospheres.

1.2.1This test method is defined for polycarbonate capillary-pore filters or cellulose ester (either mixed esters of cellulose or cellulose nitrate) filters through which a known volume of air has been drawn and for blank filters.

1.3The upper range of concentrations that can be determined by this test method is 7000 s/mm². The air concentration represented by this value is a function of the volume of air sampled.

1.3.1There is no lower limit to the dimensions of asbestos fibers that can be detected. In practice, microscopists vary in their ability to detect very small asbestos fibers. Therefore, a minimum length of 0.5 μm has been defined as the shortest fiber to be incorporated in the reported results.

1.4The direct analytical method cannot be used if the general particulate matter loading of the sample collection filter as analyzed exceeds approximately 10 % coverage of the collection filter by particulate matter.

1.5The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.6This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.7This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Committee	D 22
DocumentType	Test Method
Pages	33
PublisherName	American Society for Testing and Materials
Status	Current
Supersedes	ASTM D 6281 : 2015

ASTM D 6620 : 2019	Standard Practice for Asbestos Detection Limit Based on Counts
ASTM D 7521 : 2022	Standard Test Method for Determination of Asbestos in Soil
ASTM D 7712 : 2018	Standard Terminology for Sampling and Analysis of Asbestos
ASTM D 7201 : 2006 : R2020	Standard Practice for Sampling and Counting Airborne Fibers, Including Asbestos Fibers, in the Workplace, by Phase Contrast Microscopy (with an Option of Transmission Electron Microscopy)