Document dQBYgD903VXG95epMXk848LZR

' t `*2- ."V- , (P Tc Mr. Frank 8. Pokrywka Environmental Health Engineer Homestead Works Utmted States Stsd Coqpomtian, iBUrariaatzatiM Carmpondtaet Hovember 5/ 1981 J. F. Quealy Senior Environmental Health Engineer Sakjact Analysis of Insulation Material As requested. Environmental Health as analyzed a bulk sample of insulation material, currently in use at Carrie Furnaces, for determination of possible asbestos content, visual examination of the material shoved it to have a soft, white, fluffy appearance with an obvious fibrous component. Several fibers were removed from the sample and examined under polarized light microscopy at 400 magnification. Numerous fibrous bundles consisting of individual fibrils were clearly observed. * In addition, the fibers were determined to be anisotropic, l.e., they exhibited more than one index of refraction when viewed under crossed polars. All forms of asbestos exhibit this blrefringent property. Finally, the sample was analyzed by the dispersion staining technique, in which the fibers are mounted in a liquid of known refractive index and examined under 100 magnification using a specially designed microscope objective. Using this method to positively identify the fibers, the sample was found _an extremely high percentage of amosite asbestos~Iand a lesser, but still significant, amount oi chrysotilc-ASbesto^. In summary, our tests showed that asbestos is definitely a major component of this insulation material. JFQ/jmr a USX0000769