Citation:

Hardy, R., V. Highsmith, D. Costa, AND J. Krewer. INDOOR ASBESTOS CONCENTRATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF ASBESTOS-CONTAMINATED TAP WATER IN PORTABLE HOME HUMIDIFIERS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-94/023 (NTIS PB94137312), 1992.

Description:

A limited-scale indoor air study was conducted in Boise, ID, to evaluate the potential for portable home humidifiers to aerosolize suspended materials contained in the charging waters. ne ultrasonic and one impeller humidifier were individually charged with natural and simulated asbestos-contaminated waters (0.057-280.0 Bs/L) and operated in a chamber simulating single-room conditions. oth the ultrasonic and the impeller humidifiers aerosolized the suspended asbestos structures contained in the charging waters. he resulting aerosol was primarily comprised of <6 um long, thin, individual fibers which also served as an axis for a smaller companion residual particle. he residual particle chemistry reflected the dissolved minerals content of the charging water. he ultrasonic humidifier readily aerosolized <6 um long fibers. he impeller humidifier aerosol distribution included slightly longer fibers (<8 um). he impeller humidifier aerosol included one 13.9 um fiber and a higher concentration of clumps, with each clump containing 2-15 fibers. hen combined with the available asbestos in drinking water data, the limited study results - evaluation of aerosols generated by 2 humidifiers charged with waters containing high concentrations of asbestos - suggest that up to 5% of the U.S. could be exposed to short asbestos fibers (above ambient levels) under single-room conditions.

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