Method for the separate determination of concentrations of inorganic fibres in work areas – Scanning electron microscopic method

Translation of DGUV Information 213-546 (former BGI 505-46 or ZH1/120.46)

Method 02 – SEM/EDXA – withdrawn

Sampling is carried out by separation of particles in air drawn by means of a pump and collected onto a gold coated capillary‐pore membrane filter. Analysis is performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis (EDXA).

This method permits the determination of concentrations of inorganic fibres having a length of L > 5 µm, a width of 0.2 µm ≤ D < 3 µm and a length‐to‐width‐ratio (aspect ratio) of L/D > 3:1 in work areas averaged over the sampling time after personal or stationary sampling.

Principle

A pump is used to draw a measured volume of air through a gold coated capillary‐pore membrane filter. The fibres collected are counted and analysed by means of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis.

Limit of detection (LOD)

The limit of detection depends above all on the sample volume. For a sample volume of 40 litres per cm² filter area the statistic limit of detection is in accordance with standard analysis conditions 15000 fibres/m³.

Issue

April 2004

Withdrawn

March 2013

The complete measuring method is available in the Wiley Online Library: Method for the determination of inorganic fibres (Air Monitoring Methods, Volume 11, 2009).

Go to the Wiley Online Library