Intertek New Zealand uses polarised light microscopy for asbestos bulk analysis.
What is asbestos bulk analysis?
Bulk analysis is an established method of asbestos identification used by Intertek New Zealand for detection of asbestos in bulk building materials.
A fibre suspected to be asbestos, is removed from the bulk sample and examined using a stereoscope. Pulverized and suspect fibers are mounted on a slide in refractive index liquids. The slide is analyzed by PLM at 100x to 400x magnification to evaluate the optical properties of fibrous and non-fibrous components. The asbestos type is identified based on unique optical properties and the asbestos is quantified by calibrated visual estimation.
Equipment is thoroughly cleaned and samples are opened in a negative pressure environment to avoid cross contamination.