title: [Measurement of asbestos fibers in the air: description and limitations of the measuring techniques used].
abstract: Since the beginning of this century a wide range of methods were used to evaluate the asbestos exposure of workers. Instruments such as the konimeter, thermal precipitator, impinger or tyndallometer were employed to collect dust samples. Currently, the membrane filter method associated with phase contrast optical microscopy is widely accepted. These different sampling methods are presented in this paper and the relationships between asbestos concentration recorded by means of methods used in the past and with the current membrane filter method or with direct-reading instruments are discussed. Emphasis is put on the difficulty to use such relationships which were often established for specific situations (in the mine industry for instance). For non occupational exposure the use of electron microscopy methods is evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'étude des particules inhalées, Paris.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Billon-Galland
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kauffer
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019016:Mineral Fibers / Q000032:analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure
chemical_list: D019016:Mineral Fibers; D001194:Asbestos