New testing developments in our laboratory include:

• • XRD analyses (specifically looking at crystalline silica in respirable airborne dust).
    • This application can also be applied to environmental dust fall out sample analyses. Filtered samples can be scanned to give a mineralogical make-up of the dust sample.
    • Furthermore, various potential dust sources could also be fingerprinted on the XRD to give a mineralogical make-up of these dust sources.
    • It is expected that the XRD testing will commence from the second quarter of 2017.
  • Diesel Particulate Matter.
    • Diesel particulate matter (DPM), sometimes also called diesel exhaust particles (DEP), is the particulate component of diesel exhaust, which includes diesel soot and aerosols such as ash particulates, metallic abrasion particles, sulfates, and silicates.
    • The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer
    • This test method should commence during the first quarter of 2017.
  • Gravimetric weighing of occupational hygiene filters.
    • This gravimetric method looks at the inhalable dust portion and specifically the respirable and thoracic dust particles.
    • This test method is already SANAS accredited and available in our laboratory.