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ASBESTOS (bulk): METHOD 9002, Issue 2, dated 15 August 1994 - Page 4 of 9 refractive indices, color, pleochroism, birefringence, extinction characteristics, sign of elongation, and dispersion staining characteristics. NOTE: Identification of asbestos using polarized light microscopy is unlike most other analytical methods. The quality of the results is dependent on the skill and judgment of the analyst. This method does not lend itself easily to a step-wise approach. Various procedures devised by different analysts may yield equivalent results. The following step-wise procedure repeatedly utilizes the sample preparation procedure previously outlined. a. Prepare a slide using 1.550 HD RI liquid. Adjust the polarizing filter such that the polars are partially crossed, with ca. 15E offset. Scan the preparation, examining the morphology for the presence of fibers. If no fibers are found, scan the additional preparations. If no fibers are found in any of the preparations, report that the sample does not contain asbestos, and stop the analysis at this point. b. If fibers are found, adjust the polarizing filter such that the polars are fully crossed. If all of the fibers are isotropic (disappear at all angles of rotation) then those fibers are not asbestos. Fibrous glass and mineral wool, which are common components of suspect samples, are isotropic. If only isotropic fibers are found in the additional preparations, report no asbestos fibers detected, and stop the analysis. c. If anisotropic fibers are found, rotate the stage to determine the angle of extinction. Except for tremolite-actinolite asbestos which has oblique extinction at 10-20E, the other forms of asbestos exhibit parallel extinction (Table 1). Tremolite may show both parallel and oblique extinction. d. Insert the first order red compensator plate in the microscope and determine the sign of elongation. All forms of asbestos have a positive sign of elongation except for crocidolite. If the sign of elongation observed is negative, go to step "g." NOTE: To determine the direction of the sign of elongation on a particular microscope configuration, examine a known chrysotile sample and note the direction (NE-SW or NW-SE) of the blue coloration. Chrysotile has a positive sign of elongation. e. Remove the first-order red compensator and uncross the polarizer. Examine under plane polarized light for blue and gold-brown Becke colors at the fiber-oil interface (i.e., index of refraction match). Becke colors are not always evident. Examine fiber morphology for twisted, wavy bundles of fibers which are characteristic of chrysotile. Twisted, ribbon-like morphology with cellular internal features may indicate cellulose fibers. It may be necessary to cross the polars partially in order to see the fibers if the index of refraction is an exact match at 1.550. If the fibers appear to have higher index of refraction, go to step "h," otherwise continue. f. Identification of chrysotile. Insert the dispersion staining objective. Observation of dispersion staining colors of blue and blue-magenta confirms chrysotile. Cellulose, which is a common interfering fiber at the 1.550 index of refraction, will not exhibit these dispersion staining colors. If chrysotile is found, go to step 15 for quantitative estimation. g. Identification of crocidolite. Prepare a slide in 1.700 RI liquid. Examine under plane-polarized light (uncrossed polars); check for morphology of crocidolite. Fibers will be straight, with rigid appearance, and may appear blue or purple-blue. Crocidolite is pleochroic, i.e., it will appear to change its color (blue or gray) as it is rotated through plane polarized light. Insert the dispersion staining objective. The central stop dispersion staining color are red magenta and blue magenta, however, these colors are sometimes difficult to impossible to see because of the opacity of the dark blue fibers. If observations above indicate crocidolite, go to step 15 for quantitative estimation. h. Identification of amosite. Prepare a slide in 1.680 RI liquid. Observed the fiber morphology for amosite characteristics: straight fibers and fiber bundles with broom-like or splayed ends. If the morphology matches amosite, examine the fibers using the dispersion staining objective. Blue and pale blue colors indicate the cummingtonite form of amosite, and gold and blue colors indicate the grunerite form of amosite. If amosite is confirmed by this test, go to step 15 for quantitative estimation, otherwise continue.

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Identification of anthophyllite-tremolite-actinolite. Prepare a slide in 1.605 HD RI liquid. Examine morphology for comparison to anthophyllite-tremolite-actinolite asbestos. The refractive indices for these forms of asbestos vary naturally within the species. Anthophyllite can be distinguished from actinolite and tremolite by its nearly parallel extinction. Actinolite has a light to dark green color under plane-polarized light and exhibits some pleochroism. For all NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), Fourth Edition, 8/15/94

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