MEASUREMENT OF RESPIRABLE GLASS AND TOTAL FIBER CONCENTRATIONS IN THEAMBIENT AIR AROUND A FIBERGLASS WOOL MANUFACTURING FACILITY AND A RURAL AREA

Little data are available on ambient concentrations of glass fibers wh ich along with other manmade vitreous fibers are receiving increased r egulatory attention. The purpose of this study was to measure glass an d total respirable fibers around a large fiberglass wool manufacturing plant and a rural area. Samples were collected on mixed esters of cel lulose filters using high-volume air samplers at flow rates of 1.2 m(3 )/min. Fibers were counted using a modified NIOSH 7400B procedure. Gla ss fibers were found in very low concentrations for both areas sampled ; 90% of the samples were below the detectable limit of 0.00001 fibers /cc. Average glass fiber concentrations accounted for less than 1% of the total fibers measured. Dispersion modeling was used to estimate am bient glass fiber concentrations around the plant. Predicted and measu red results showed relatively good agreement. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.