Electron Microscopic Study of Asbestos Fibers in the Flat Sheet Tile (from lid of the drinking water jar)

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the presence of asbestos fibers in flat sheet tile which is used as a lid of the drinking water jar from one family in Ampour Nampong khonKaen province.Technically, friable materials from the above mentioned flat sheet tile were scraped, processed and examined under the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Our study revealed that the compositions of the flat sheet tile were amosite, chrysotile, anthophylite and other unknown fibrous minerals and these mineral cannot be easily destroyed or degraded. The size and shape of thease fibers permit them to remain airborne for long periods of time and to contaminate our environment. Exposure to thes fibers has been found to induce mesothlioma of the pleura and peritoneum as well as other organs after a latent periods of about 20 to 40 years.