• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.222-226
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• 2011

This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of analytical errors shown in the Korean quality control program on bulk asbestos analyses using polarized light microscopy (PLM). 179 participating laboratories were required to analyze 4 samples respectively and asked to classify each test sample as asbestos-containing (positive) or non-asbestos-containing (negative). For positive samples, participants were also asked to identify the type and semiquantitate the contents of asbestos present. The test results showed 21 (4%) false negative errors among 562 samples, 9 (6%) false positive errors among 154 samples and 53 (9%) asbestos identification errors among 562 samples. Most of false negative and positive errors were observed in a few types of samples. Higher frequencies of asbestos identification errors were shown in samples containing two or more types of asbestos and samples containing anthophyllite, tremolite or actinolite asbestos. For semiquantitative analyses, the ratios of mean to nominal weight contents were 2.1 for chrysotile and 2.9 for amphiboles. A tendency of over-estimation was observed in semiquantitative analyses using the visual estimation technique and higher in case of analyzing samples containing amphiboles than chrysotile. Coefficients of variation (CVs) of semiquantitative analytical results were 0.44~0.83 and 0.5~1.14 for samples containing chrysotile and amphibole asbestos, respectively.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2013

Objectives: Asbestos contents of crushed serpentine rocks and airborne fiber concentrations of workers were determined at two serpentine quarries and a steel mill. Methods: Bulk samples of uncrushed and crushed serpentine rocks were collected and analyzed by PLM and TEM. Airborne asbestos samples were collected from the breathing zone of workers and the vicinity of working area and analyzed by PCM and TEM. Results: Chrysotile was identified with antigorite, lizardite and non-asbestiform actinolite in bulk samples. The arithmetic means of chrysotile contents in crushed serpentines were 0.11, 0.01, 0.42%(W/W) by quarry A, quarry B and a steel mill, respectively. The asbestos concentrations of all personal samples were less than 0.1 f/cc which is the permissible exposure limit of workers in Korea. The arithmetic means of airborne asbestos concentrations were 0.017 f/cc and 0.009 f/cc in personal samples collected from two serpentine quarries. The asbestos concentrations of all personal samples collected from a steel mill were less than LODs by PCM analysis but asbestos was detected in area samples by TEM. By the job tasks of serpentine quarries, crusher/separator operation generated the highest exposure to airborne asbestos. Conclusions: Although chrysotile contents in crushed serpentines of quarries were less the permissible level, the highest exposure of workers in serpentine quarries reached up to 76% of the permissible level of airborne asbestos. There were also possibilities of occupational exposure to airborne asbestos in a steel mill. The present exposure study should encourage further survey and occupational control of quarries producing serpentine or other types of asbestos-bearing rocks.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.507-515
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• 2014

석면이 발암물질로 지정 되면서 물리화학적 처리를 통하여 석면광물을 비섬유형으로 변형시키거나 또는 상전이시킴으로 광물 종을 변화시켜 무해화하는 연구가 진행되고 있다. 하지만 국내에서는 석면의 광물학적 특성과 함께 무해화가 가능함을 제시하는 연구만 진행되었을 뿐, 열처리에 따른 석면광물의 형태 및 결정구조 변화에 대한 연구는 미비한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 국내에서 산출되는 백석면(chrysotile)과 석면형 투각섬석(asbestiform tremolite)에 대하여 열처리 전 후 석면의 형태 변화와 상전이에 따른 광물학적 특성을 전자현미경법으로 연구하였다. 백석면은 $850^{\circ}C$에서 2시간 동안 열처리된 후 감람석으로 상전이 되었으며, 석면형 투각섬석은 $1050^{\circ}C$에서 2시간 동안 열처리된 후 투휘석으로 상전이 되었다. 이러한 광물 상전이를 전자현미경법으로 연구한 결과, 두 석면은 섬유상 및 침상의 형태를 보이는 섬유다발이 열처리에 의해 끝이 매끄러운 주상의 형태로 변형되었으며, 분쇄하여도 벽개면, 섬유다발 등과 같은 형태로 발달하지 않음을 확인하였다. 또한 열처리에 따른 광물의 주 구성성분 변화 없이 결정구조의 변화가 일어남을 확인하였다. 이는 함수 규산염광물인 석면이 열에 의해 수산기(OH)가 제거되면서 광물의 상전이와 결정구조의 변화가 나타난 것으로 사료된다. 이처럼 전자현미경법은 석면의 형태, 화학성분, 그리고 결정구조의 변화를 동시에 확인 할 수 있어 광물 상전이에 따른 석면의 무해화를 연구하는데 효과적인 방법으로 판단된다.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.139-145
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• 2011

Objectives: This investigation is purposed to evaluate the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings having asbestos containing materials(ACMs) in Seoul. Methods: The Seoul Metropolitan Government carried out an asbestos survey to the city-owned public buildings to identify the level of risk exposure, classified into low, moderate and high risk. To evaluate the airborne concentration of asbestos, 11 sampling sites in ten buildings based on the survey were selected. The air samples from the eleven sites were analyzed by Phase Contrast Microscopy(PCM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and compared the analytical results from the both. Results: 1. The airborne fiber concentrations by PCM were less than the detection limit($7f/mm^2$) in 9(82%) out of 11 sampling sites. The highest concentration was 0.0043 f/cc, but it was below the guideline value for indoor air quality(0.01 f/cc), proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Korea. 2. In two sampling sites, having moderate risk level, the chrysotile was identified and showed it's concentrations of 0.0102 s/cc and 0.0058 s/cc, less than $5{\mu}m$ lengths. 3. The ACMs identified in the two sampling sites were a packing material(65% of chrysotile) in mechanical area and a thermal system insulation(5% of chrysotile) in a boiler room. Having more possibility of asbestos emission in the mechanical area, it would be required to set up and carry out the asbestos management plan. Conclusions: Based on the result of this study, the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings with ACMs were generally lower than the guideline value for indoor air quality. There are widespread concerns about the possible health risk resulting from the presence of airborne asbestos fibers in the public buildings. Most of the previous studies about airborne asbestos analysis in Korea were performed based on PCM method that asbestos and non-asbestos fibers are counted together. In the public and commercial buildings, having ACMs, it is suggested that the asbestos be analyzed by TEM method to identify asbestos due to concerns about asbestos exposure to workers and unspecified people.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.163-169
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• 2010

All forms of asbestos are proven human carcinogens. All forms of asbestos cause malignant mesothelioma, lung, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers, and may cause gastrointestinal and other cancers. No exposure to asbestos is without risk, and there is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos cancer victims die painful lingering deaths. These deaths are almost entirely preventable. When evidence of the carcinogenicity of asbestos became incontrovertible, concerned parties, including the Collegium Ramazzini, called for a universal ban on the mining, manufacture and use of asbestos in all countries around the world. Asbestos is now banned in 52 countries, and safer products have replaced many materials that once were made with asbestos. Nonetheless, a large number of countries still use, import, and export asbestos and asbestos-containing products. And still today in many countries that have banned other forms of asbestos, the so-called "controlled use" of chrysotile asbestos continues to be permitted, an exemption that has no basis in medical science but rather reflects the political and economic influence of the asbestos mining and manufacturing industry. To protect the health of all people in the world, industrial workers, construction workers, women and children, now and in future generations - the Collegium Ramazzini calls again today on all countries of the world, as we have repeatedly in the past, to join in the international endeavor to ban all forms of asbestos. An international ban on asbestos is urgently needed.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.271-281
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• 2008

This study is to characterize the occurrence types and mineralogical characteristics of asbestos for the Kwangcheon areas, Chungnam. The mine areas had been exploited as asbestos mines for several decades since 1930. Host rocks of the asbestos are serpentinites and altered rocks of the ultramafic rocks. Representative samples of the host rocks and minerals were sampled and were examined with microscopes. To confirm for the existences and compositions for the asbestos, the rock samples were analysed with EPMA, XRD and EDS. Chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite were found as asbestos and non-asbestos forms in these areas. Chrysotiles, as non-asbestos forms, occur in the host rocks with mesh and hourglass textures. They, as asbestos forms, are mainly found as the veins. The tremolite and actinolite, as asbestos types, occur as alteration products of the olivine and pyroxene within the host rocks. They, as asbestos types, are also found following the cracks and fractures. Overall results suggest that three types of the asbestos are found in the Kwangcheon and Kaewol mine areas. Based on the occurrence types for the asbestos, additional studies are required for the asbestos in the top soil and air.

• 한국대기환경학회지
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.703-712
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• 1999

In order to determine the number concentration of asbestos, it is initially necessary to develop a method to identify the type of asbestos. Thus a SEM/EDX was used to obtain both physical and chemical information from known asbestos samples as reference samples. Based on these information, we could make a source profile matrix consisted of a glass fiber and 3 other types of asbestos such as chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite. After collinearity test was performed for these sources, we could successfully develop an expert system by C-language to separate and to identify various unknown types of fiber particles. The expert system was perfectly self-verified with original reference data. Then the program was extensively applied to survey indoor and outdoor environment such as a residential area, an elementary school, and underground store, and an auto junkyard. As a result for surveying, a total of 442 individual fibrous particles were well classified into 4 types of particle classes above mentioned; 5.4% of chrysotile, 4.1% of crocidolite, 3.6% of glass fiber, and 86.9% of unknown fibers in terms of number concentration. However, tremolite was not detected in the study sites. All the samples were satisfied with the recommendation level of 0.01 f/cc.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.127-138
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• 2009

Rock wool, a kind of asbestos substitutes, was analyzed for its physicochemical properties. After fivers of rock wool were instilled into rat lungs, These pathological changes were evaluated. In addition, the fibers in the lungs were counted and characterized after the lungs were treated for electron microscopical analysis. The lungs of rats showed pathological lesions such as granulomatous changes, but these lesions disappeared at 28 days groups after instilled rats. The rock wool fibers in the lungs decreased more 50 % after 28 days instilled into rat lungs. And rock wool showed early change in fiber compositions after 3 days compare with chrysotile showed after 7 days instilled into rat lungs. This study showed that the durability of rock wool in the lungs is more milder than chrysotile.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.102-110
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• 2001

To establish an accurate asbestos analysis method for workplace samples, chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite asbestos fibers were analyzed for their morphology, atomic content and electron diffraction patterns. The morphology of asbestos fiber was evaluated in $10,000{\times}$ magnification. The atomic contents was analyzed by X-ray analyzer (TEM-EDX). Asbestos fibers were further assessed using electron diffraction (ED) patterns to provide an additional criterion for classifying the asbestos fibers. Twenty asbestos fibers were initially randomly selected for morphological evaluation; based on an aspect ratio (length : diameter = 3:1). Then the fibers were determined for their EDX spectrums and ED patterns. Our results showed that only chrysotile fiber has a hollow tube structure to be distinguished from other asbestos fibers. Although asbestos fibers had similar morphology, they had different EDX spectrums and ED patterns. Our results on the atomic content of asbestos fibers were very similar to those of other researchers, but amosite and crocidolite had a little difference in atomic content compared with the results from other researchers. The difference may be due to the difference in equipment or asbestos sample selection. A study on asbestos samples from biological specimens to establish a criterion for determining occupational asbestos exposed diseases should be done in the near future.

• 분석과학
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2013

세계적으로 석면에 관한 다양한 연구사례가 발표되고 있는 가운데, 최근 미국을 비롯해 국내 또한 NOA (Naturally Occurring Asbestos)에 대한 관심으로 석면분포 광산 및 주변지역의 지질도 작성, 광산복원, 유해성 평가 등을 실시하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 토양 중 백석면을 분석하는 과정에서 정성, 정량 평가용 표준물질을 개발함으로써 분석결과에 대한 분석기관 및 분석자의 신뢰성 향상과 더불어 광학현미경의 기초자료를 확보고자 한다. 석면분석은 정성분석과 정량분석으로 구분하였으며, 석면정량을 위한 방법은 EPA 600-R-93-116의 점계수법(point counting)으로 총 400지점을 계수하는 방법으로 실시하였다. 제작된 2종에 해당하는 인증표준물질(CRM, Certified Reference Material)을 분산분석과 회귀분석을 이용하여 각각 균질성과 장기 안정성을 확인한 결과 이상이 없음을 확인하였다. 인증표준물질의 인증값은 점계수 결과의 최소값에서 최대값에 이르는 결과를 포함하며 저농도, 1% (범위, 0.25~3.00), 고농도, 4% (범위, 2.25~5.50)로 산출되었다.