Asbestos

The standard method is polarised light microscopy.
It is very sensitive and the fibres can be distinguished from other similar substances eg glass fibre, etc.
A review is here;

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_tabl...
The only safe thing to do with asbestos is leave it in the ground!

Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow

I find it funny your name is _itchy_fruit and you are talking about asbestos

Why ?

Btw does anyone know how to make itching powder.

I remember using loose asbestos fibers as a filtering medium in my quantitative analysis class in college in 1962. The fibers were placed in a Gooch crucible as a slurry forming a porous mat. The utility of it was that it could be fired in a muffle furnace without losing weight.

A few times in my own lab I have wished that I had some available both for the above purpose and in sheet form for high temperature work.

Recently I found some 1/4" sheet at a garage sale in the form of a fireproof metal box for valuables. I estimate it contains about 3 ft^2 of sheet asbestos:






[Edited on 26-5-2017 by Magpie]

NedsHead

wear a mask. spray it with water to keep wet and bust it into small bits. shove it in the bin in a garbage bag a bit at a time and say nothing.

btw it is easy to identify. heres a sample of the nasty carcinogenic form from Wittenoom, Western Australia





the fluffy fibres spall constantly. this is the raw material stored out of the weather. it becomes windborne easily and the entire mining town has been closed to the public

[Edited on 26-5-2017 by diddi]

The cost of asbestos removal and disposal here in Aus is an absolute rort, easily running into the $10s of thousands, it's common for dodgy operators to illegally dump asbestos in the streets to avoid the high costs.

The house needs renovating and will be getting a new roof at some stage anyway, I'm just thinking of ways to save a buck in the future.

I will absolutely keep a sheet of two for the hobby

@diddi

Edit, case in point: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-26/asbestos-dumped-south-...

I turned on the telly and this was the first news update I see, I swear it wasn't me lol

[Edited on 26-5-2017 by NedsHead]

[Edited on 26-5-2017 by NedsHead]

Quote: Originally posted by Magpie

I remember using loose asbestos fibers as a filtering medium in my quantitative analysis class in college in 1962. The fibers were placed in a Gooch crucible as a slurry forming a porous mat. The utility of it was that it could be fired in a muffle furnace without losing weight. A few times in my own lab I have wished that I had some available both for the above purpose and in sheet form for high temperature work. [Edited on 26-5-2017 by Magpie]

I remember the same uses (I'm class of1962), and just the other day was also wishing I had some.