Quantitative X-RAy Diffraction Analysis of Four Types of Amphibolic Asbestos by the Silver Membrane Filter Method

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the method that utilizes the X-ray diffraction technique combined with a procedure for X-ray absorption correction, already applied to chrysotile, was extended to the quantitative determination of microgram quantities of four types of amphibolic asbestos. These are: crocidolite, amosite, tremolite and anthophyllite. The effectiveness of the absorption correction procedure, based on the use of a silver membrane filter, was tested for crocidolite by preparing standards of this substance in three different matrices and comparing their diffractometric responses with those of pure analyte standards. These experimental data were also used to calculate the mass absorption coefficients of the matrices, which were compared with both the theoretical values and the values obtained in previous experiments where chrysotile was used as the analyte. The limits of detection of the four pure amphiboles, and crocidolite in matrix were established, and a detailed study of the most common interference...