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Transmission Electron Imaging and Diffraction of Asbestos Fibers in a Scanning Electron Microscope
Published
Author(s)
Jason Holm, Elisabeth Mansfield
Abstract
Test protocols for airborne clearance of asbestos abatement sites define the collection, imaging and quantification of asbestos with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Since those protocols were developed 35 years ago, scanning electron microscope (SEM) capabilities have significantly improved and expanded, with improvements in image spatial resolution, elemental analysis, and transmission electron diffraction capabilities. This contribution demonstrates transmission electron imaging and diffraction using NIST Asbestos Standard Reference Materials and a conventional SEM to provide comparable identification and quantification capabilities in the SEM as the current regulatory methods based on TEM techniques. The results demonstrate a viable alternative to the current regulatory methods for asbestos identification and classification.
Holm, J.
and Mansfield, E.
(2024),
Transmission Electron Imaging and Diffraction of Asbestos Fibers in a Scanning Electron Microscope, Analytical Methods, [online], https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AY00555D, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=957425
(Accessed October 10, 2025)