COURSE OUTLINE & SYLLABUS

In this advanced course, students learn to identify and differentiate among all asbestos fibers and fibrous substitutes through review of basic theory and inclusion of more advanced methods. Immersion techniques for refractive index measurement are emphasized, including the construction and interpretation of dispersion staining graphs. Various sample preparation and quantitation techniques are introduced including gravimetric methods. Heated and chemically altered samples, floor tiles and other complex matrices are covered.

Airborne asbestos is covered in course 1616 (Asbestos Fiber Counting).

Course 1608A or the consent of the instructor is the prerequisite for this course.

Day 1:

• Review of techniques for measuring the matching wavelengths
• Retardation
• Birefringence
• Extinction angle
• Sign of elongation

Day 2:

• Study of asbestos look-alikes (mineral wool, ceramic fibers, talc fibers, pulped Kevlar, polyethylene, etc.
• Study of fibrous non-asbestos minerals: wollastonite, brucite, the double sulfatese
• Study of non-fibrous serpentines and amphiboles

Day 3:

• Study of weathered and heated asbestos
• Study of tough asbestos insulation samples illustrating above areas

Day 4:

• Practice in the above techniques and work on unknowns

Day 5:

• Practice in the above techniques and work on unknowns

Note: This course runs Monday-Friday with class ending at noon on Friday