American scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology have found a cheap and effective way to detect asbestos in the environment. The research was published in the scientific journal magazine Analytical Methods (AnaMeths).
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral whose fibers are used for insulation, weatherproofing, fire resistance, and reinforcement in building materials. Its use began to decline in the 1970s when it was discovered that the substance was highly carcinogenic and contributed to the development of lung cancer.
For a long time, transmission or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) remained the main method for detecting asbestos. However, this method requires the use of a special laboratory and is expensive to use.
An alternative to TEM to look for harmful substances is phase contrast microscopy (PCM). It is simpler and cheaper, but does not have high accuracy.
In a new study, scientists determined that scanning electron microscopy (SEM) can achieve results comparable to TEM. At the same time, desktop scanning microscopes that enable the technology to be used in the field are already on the market. In addition, while it takes a few months to train an expert to work with SEM, it can take years to gain experience in using TEM equipment.
According to experts, the introduction of the scanning electron microscope will significantly facilitate the fight against asbestos emissions during the construction and operation of buildings.
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Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.