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AMPHIBOLE FIBER CONCENTRATION DETERMINATION FOR A SERIES OF COMMUNITY AIR SAMPLES: USE OF X-RAY DIFFRACTION TO SUPPLEMENT ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS
Citation:
Cook, P., P. Smith, AND D. Wilson. AMPHIBOLE FIBER CONCENTRATION DETERMINATION FOR A SERIES OF COMMUNITY AIR SAMPLES: USE OF X-RAY DIFFRACTION TO SUPPLEMENT ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-78/059 (NTIS PB289183), 1978.
Description:
The accurate measurement of annual average mineral fiber concentrations at various air sampling sites provides the best index of non-occupational inhalation exposure to fibers in a community located near an industrial source of airborne amphibole fibers. The transmission electron microscope analysis of enough individual high volume air samples to provide annual average fiber concentrations is not feasible because of the great time and expense required. X-ray diffraction analysis of air samples collected on membrane filters over periods of several days offers a reliable measurement of amphibole mineral mass concentration. An excellent linear correlation (r = 0.94 for N = 12) exists between the amphibole mass concentrations (x-ray diffraction) and amphibole fiber concentrations (transmission electron microscope). The correlation equation is used to calculate amphibole fiber concentrations from over 300 x-ray diffraction analyses. The accuracy and precision of both techniques are discussed as well as particle concentration variations influenced by meteorology, emission sources, and sampling location.