Dust-Fiber Relationships in the Quebec Chrysotile Industry

Authors:
  • GGGraham William Gibbs
    Graham William Gibbs
  • MLMaurice LaChance
    Maurice LaChance
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Abstract
Epidemiological studies of Quebec chrysotile miners and millers have related various indices of health to dust exposure, as measured with the midget impinges The interpretation of these relationships in terms of fiber necessitates the conversion of midget impinger (particle + fiber) counts to membrane filter (fiber) equivalents. An investigation in which 87 side-by-side midget impinger-membrane filter samples were taken at five mines and mills showed that the correlation was poor and no single conversion factor was justified. Until more detailed information on the relationships between midget impinger and membrane filter counts can be obtained, it is recommended that safety standards, at least in this industry, should continue to be based on dust counts, for which there is considerable epidemiological support, rather than on fiber counts, for which there is no direct evidence.

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