Asbestos is a common compound used in modern building materials. It is also one of the most hazardous materials that could even take the life of a person. Indoor air quality testing is important to get rid of it. This article will equip you with the necessary information about Asbestos air testing.
About Asbestos
Asbestos is a leathery silicate mineral. It is heat-proof and present in the flooring and ceiling tiles, cements siding, insulation, and various other building materials. The use of this material is completely banned in the US but permitted in other countries of the world.
Why Do You Need To Perform An Asbestos Air Testing?
Asbestos is used in the construction of a building. It could be lying in the office, home, or in any facility. If you are not sure of this hazard, then you should consider getting an asbestos air test. When you breathe asbestos, it deposits in the lungs. Excessive and prolonged exposure to this material in the air causes fibrotic lung ailment.
Airtests is one of the reputed companies in Canada that offers the best quality air quality tests facility to house owners. It is an effective way to prevent the presence of harmful elements such as pesticides, asbestos, radon, allergens from the house.
What Is Asbestos Testing?
Asbestos testing is also known as an asbestos survey. It makes sure that the occupants of the buildings remain protected from the silent killer at all times. The US EPA must conduct an asbestos survey before the renovation or demolition of a building.
It tells them whether or not the presence of asbestos in materials will get disturbed. Along with the testing, an asbestos inspection is also helpful. It is possible that it could get damaged due to passing age.
About Asbestos Treatment
Asbestos is a toxic substance that can pose a lot of health risks to a person. To remain safe, it is important to get expert advice from a trained Asbestos testing professional. The monitoring staff and technicians who perform the procedures are P403 and P404 certified. This certification covers clearance testing and air sampling.
They are well versed in checking the accuracy of the Asbestos air test through Phase contrast microscopy (PCM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both of these are reliable methods. The latter one is far more precise due to the fibre size. It is also capable of precise detection.
- PCM is a quick and inexpensive process that helps in the identification of fibres in the air. However, the technique isn’t beneficial for small fibres.
- TEM enables sending air samples to a laboratory where these samples are bombarded with electrons present in a giant-sized electron microscope. This enables the microscopist to differentiate between non-asbestos fibres and asbestos at a fine level. As it identifies the presence of minuscule fibres, the technique is expensive and takes a longer time compared to PCM.
Conclusion
Asbestos causes no harm as long as it stays in the building materials in which it is used. However, when these materials get disturbed during the period of demolition or renovations, then the fibres enter the air and cause a critical health hazard. To keep your premises protected from the adverse effects of asbestos, it is important to perform asbestos testing at the premises.