LCS Laboratory Inc., in London, Ontario, offers a fast and efficient way to measure the concentration of asbestos fibers in the air. Asbestos can be found in most buildings built before 1981. These fibers were used as insulation material and as a binder. Asbestos concentration varies widely, from 1-3% in drywall-joint-compound to 50-60% in Transite boards and pipe insulation.
Most of the time asbestos-containing materials pose very little risk to your health, as long as they are not disturbed. The asbestos fibers become very dangerous when they are released into the air and are inhaled. Due to their needle-like shape, the fibers can puncture lung tissue and cause irreversible damage.
Asbestos concentration in the air is strictly regulated. In Canada, asbestos concentration in the air of a working zone cannot exceed 0.1 fiber per centimetre cube (ff/cc). For an asbestos abatement clearance test, this level is 10-fold lower: 0.01 ff/cc (2019). The most common method to measure the concentration of fibers in the air is a method developed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (USA): NIOSH 7400. In this method, asbestos fibers are collected on “conductive cowl asbestos samplers” commonly known as “PCM cassettes”. Our laboratory analyses the samples and measures the asbestos concentration in the air. The image at the beginning of this post shows a bundle of asbestos fibers as detected by our lab.
If you require a workplace exposure assessment or post-abatement sampling, please email us to discuss your project. We offer a complete line of services, including: air sampling cassettes, pumps and laboratory service.
