Methodology to Detect Asbestos in Drinking Water?

Taxonomy

• Drinking Water Security
• Standards & Quality
• Biological & Chemical Quality
• Water Quality
• Quality Maintenance
• Drinking Water
• Water Quality Management
• Water Quality Monitoring

8 Answers

1. At this site, you'll see several methods listed if you use the keyword asbestos: https://www.nemi.gov/home/

2. Dear Ms Hindiyeh

   here is the link where Analytical Methods for Determining Asbestos in Environmental Samples are explained

   https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp61-c7.pdf

3. Hello Muna. In the UK Asbestos Cement (AC) water mains faded from use during the late 1970's. However I estimate there are at least 50,000 km still in use, I know of almost 7,000 km that I analysed the performance of. There were historical concerns on the release of fibers during drilling for service fittings and from the loss of cement structure in soft water supply areas. Investigations carried out several decades ago informed an improved drilling practice, otherwise AC mains are safe to use. They are not expected to be lined with coal tar rather bitumen, so no PAH issues either. The early investigations employed electron microscopy analyses without the high tech equipment now available. Fibers up to 10 microns long and 2 microns wide are of the most concern. The UK Drinking Water Inspectorate do not believe a limit is required and there are reports that indicate up to a million fibers per liter is typical.

   1 Comment

   1. Dear Tim

      Please can you send me a detail and the reference of the method. Best regards

4. We are interested in identify the ​health effect ​of the utilization of asbestos cement pipelines for ​domestic uses, ​i.e drinking potable water.

5. The main health hazard related with asbestos is on respiratory tracts. its presence in water is therefore rarely studied

   1 Comment

   1. Dear Sebastien

      I agree with you, but many drinking water quality standards asking for Asbestos parameter.

6. https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/300037EN.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1991+Thru+1994&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C91thru94%5CTxt%5C00000013%5C300037EN.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL

7. By MS technique

   1 Comment

   1. Thank you Ajay

      Please can you give me more details. Thank you

8. Dear Dr. Muna,

   I cant provide much information about the analysis of asbestos fibers in drinking water samples, however, I know that the method for this is complicated, the instrument used for the detection of fibers called Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).

   I know that asbestos fibers might enter the drinking water from natural sources (i.e host rocks ) or from the pipes (made of cement) used in domestic water network systems.

   May I ask, what is the reason for such kind of analysis? ist to identify the health effect of utilization water containing these fibers in domestic uses? i.e drinking, cooking, washing etc? 

   thanks

   Zaid

    

    

    

   1 Comment

   1. yes to identify the health effect of utilization drinking water.