ISO 16000-27 Indoor Air - Part 27: Test for Determination of Fibrous Dust Precipitated on Surfaces by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope)

EUROLAB, with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, provides precise and fast testing services within the scope of ISO 16000-27 testing. ISO 16000-27 specifies the numerical concentration of fibrous structures with fibers greater than or equal to 0,2 µm in diameter in dust deposited on surfaces and their classification according to certain groups of substances (eg chrysotile, amphibole asbestos, other inorganic fibers).

It can be primarily applied indoors, but is also suitable for certain outdoor situations. A sampling technique for collecting settled dust using adhesive tape is described. The method includes an analytical method for the evaluation of samples collected by scanning electron microscopy. The result can be specified in asbestos structures per unit area or classified into four different loading classes. Analytical sensitivity depends on the area studied and can be as low as 10 structures/cm².

For the purposes of ISO 16000-27, an asbestos or fibrous structure is defined as an asbestos or (other inorganic/organic) fiber-containing particle, regardless of its diameter.

The use of the described sampling method is limited depending on the nature and type of the surface (slight roughness and curvature) and the thickness of the powder layer. If the dust layer is too thick, the dust layer can be sampled by other means and eventually analyzed as a dust sample.

Many countries have official regulations for asbestos exposure levels and the asbestos content in products. The asbestos content in settled dust has been the source of widespread controversy. Regulatory efforts based on measurement results are known only in very few cases. The reasons for this are the lack of standardized and accepted measurement methods in many countries and the difficult and controversial assessment of risk potential. A generally accepted relationship between the asbestos content and the airborne concentration of asbestos fiber produced by dust re-entrainment has not been established.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with ISO 16000-27 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.