The New York State Asbestos Laboratory’s primary responsibility is the manufacture and shipment of quality proficiency test samples (PTs) to environmental laboratories participating in the New York State Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP). The Asbestos Laboratory also performs basic and applied research, method development, as well as analysis of unknown, possibly suspicious, materials often referred to as “white powders”.

The types of analysis typically performed include:

• Bulk building material analysis by Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)
• Non-organically bound (NOB) building material analysis by PLM
• NOB analysis by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
• Airborne fiber analysis by Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM)
• Airborne fiber analysis by TEM
• Potable and non-potable water analysis by TEM
• Material analysis by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Microscope (FTIR)

Accreditation: NY Items 198.1, 198.4, & 198.6; 40CFR 763 subpart E, App A; 40CFR 763 subpart E, App E; 40CFR 763 APX A No. III; EPA 600-M4-82-020/PLM; EPA 100.1; EPA 100.2; NIOSH 7400; NIOSH 7402; NELAP – E37911; NYS ELAP – 10762; EPA – NY00005

Proficiency Testing: The laboratory produces and sends 2 light microscopy and 2 electron microscopy PT shipments per year. The PT program is described on the ELAP_[1] web pages. The light microscopy PTs include bulk samples for analysis by ELAP Item #198.1 and/or EPA 600 as well as fiber analysis by NIOSH 7400. The electron microscopy PTs include samples for TEM analysis by AHERA and/or Yamate, Agarwile & Gibb, ELAP Item #198.6, NIOSH 7402, and EPA 100.1 and/or 100.2.