Asbestos
Schneider Laboratories Global, Inc. is a NVLAP accredited laboratory for Bulk Asbestos Analysis and AIHA-LAP, LLC accredited for Asbestos Fibers Analysis. SLGI was the first laboratory in the state of Virginia to receive a license to test for Asbestos. In addition to these accreditation’s the laboratory has several state accreditation’s including California, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.
Air Sample Analysis:
Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) – (NIOSH 7400)
Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) is a technique to measure fiber concentrations of air samples. It is used primarily for estimating asbestos concentrations in air at asbestos abatement sites and is sometimes applied during environmental monitoring, personnel monitoring, and clearance testing. It is used to show compliance with limits set by NIOSH, OSHA and other regulatory agencies. The method does not differentiate between asbestos and other fibers and can also be used to estimate the airborne concentrations of other, non-asbestos materials such as fibrous glass.
Bulk Sample Analysis:
Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) (EPA 600/R-93/116/ EPA-600-M4-82-020)
Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) is a technique used for the identification and quantification of asbestos in bulk materials. This method utilizes the polarized light microscope to observe specific optical properties. Using these optical properties the PLM analyst can distinguish asbestos from non-asbestos fibers and further classify the various species that compose the asbestos mineral family. The method separates the sample material into various layers based on their morphology and then detects for the presence for the different asbestos fibers in each of these layers. The report will express the percentage of the different asbestos fibers detected in each of the different layers based upon visual estimation. Additionally, our analysts record and report the identity of the non-asbestos fibrous component of each bulk sample. The detection limit set by the EPA for asbestos containing material is 1% asbestos. Any material greater than 1% asbestos is considered asbestos containing material (ACM).
Asbestos EPA 400 Point Count – (EPA 600/R-93/116/ EPA-600-M4-82-020)
The PLM method outlines two quantification techniques. The most widely employed is the visual estimate which works well for most sample types. The second type of quantification technique is the point count. This more labor-intensive technique for quantitating asbestos is less subjective than a visual estimation. This can be important especially at low asbestos concentrations. This methodology, which has a detection limit of 0.25% asbestos, increases the accuracy and precision of the asbestos concentration determined in a sample and is widely used to comply with NESHAP regulations that recommend the use of better quantification methods with low concentrations of asbestos.
Asbestos EPA 1000 Point Count – (EPA 600/R-93/116/ EPA-600-M4-82-020)
This quantification method just like the 400 point count mentioned above, works well with low concentrations of asbestos. Both the accuracy and precision improve with point counting and the more points analyzed the better the accuracy and precision. The 1000 point count has a detection limit of 0.1% asbestos and is primarily used in the state of California which uses the level of 0.1% for the determination of asbestos containing material (ACM).
Asbestos California Air Resources Board (CARB) 435
The analysis includes testing of rocks and soils for asbestos using CARB 435 method. This method is a specialized method used for testing asbestos content of serpentine aggregate in storage piles, on conveyor belts, play yards, and on covered surfaces such as roads, shoulders and parking lots. The method crushes the sample using a mill to produce a sample size of less than 200 Tyler mesh or 0.75 microns and then analyzing the sample by Polarized Light Microscopy using 400 point count quantification giving a detection limit of 0.25%.