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DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR DETERMINING ASBESTOS IN WATER
Citation:
Melton, C., S. Anderson, C. Dye, W. Chase, AND R. Heffelfinger. DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR DETERMINING ASBESTOS IN WATER. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/4-78/066.
Description:
The development of a rapid analytical method for determining chrysotile asbestos in water that requires substantially less time per analysis than electron microscopy methods is described. Based on the proposition that separation of chrysotile from other waterborne particulate would greatly simplify the task of detection, the research effort was directed toward establishing separation and concentration techniques. This investigation led to the development of a separation procedure whereby chrysotile is extracted from a water sample into an immiscible organic liquid phase. The procedure is called two-phase liquid separation (TPLS). TPLS has been combined with a light microscopic intercept counting technique and with a colorimetric spot test detection technique to result in two complete rapid analytical methods. The TPLS-light microscopic (LM) method requires more expensive equipment than the TPLS-spot test method; however, the limit of detection of TPLS-LM method is 1.0 ng at the 99 percent confidence level, whereas the limit of detection of the TPLS-spot test method is approximately 100 ng. The TPLS-LM method, therefore, is recommended as a first choice, and the TPLS-spot test method is recommended for use under conditions that require no greater detection sensitivity than 100 ng per sample. Experiments have shown that 75 percent of the chrysotile is extracted by TPLS.