Interagency Comparison of Respirable Quartz Analysis

Résumé du livre

An interagency investigation was conducted to compare results from five laboratories using infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques to quantitatively determine the quartz content of respirable coal mine dust. The importance of using a quartz standard having the same particle size distribution as the samples analyzed is underscored for both analytical methods. High-temperature ashing techniques in sample preparation were found to contribute to analytical error. Various factors in the preparation of quartz standards are examined, including quartz materials, matrix, and filter type. Laboratories taking precautions to minimize the effects of variation sources discovered during these investigations will be able to place greater confidence in their determinations of quartz in respirable dusts.