🔬 PLM · PCM · SEM-EDX · NIOSH 7400 · NIOSH 7402 · EPA 600/R-93/116 · OSHA

Asbestos Analysis

Complete asbestos identification — bulk materials, ambient air and occupational air — with internationally validated methods.

Biogroup provides specialised asbestos identification services for solid materials, occupational and ambient air — applying PLM (EPA 600/R-93/116), PCM fibre counting (NIOSH 7400) and TEM identification (NIOSH 7402). Results are traceable, defensible before regulators, insurers and courts — oriented to occupational risk management, demolitions, renovations, environmental audits and legal proceedings.

Argentina banned asbestos in 2003 (Decree 423/2003), but millions of square metres of asbestos-containing materials remain installed in industrial facilities, buildings, schools and hospitals constructed before the ban. Any intervention on these materials requires prior identification, a management plan and occupational monitoring.

PLM · PCM · TEM
Three microscopy techniques
NIOSH · EPA · OSHA
International methods
3 matrices
Materials · Air · Water
+35 years
Expert witness experience
⚖️
Regulatory compliance
Reports structured for SRT, ART, Ministry of Labour, OPDS and provincial environmental authorities. Defensible before occupational health inspectors, courts and insurance companies.
🔬
Validated international methods
PLM with colour dispersion for material identification, PCM with Walton-Beckett graticule for fibre counting, TEM/SEM-EDX for specific asbestos type confirmation — the methods regulators and courts recognise.
📋
Expert witness & legal support
35+ years of experience in environmental audits, expert witness testimony and occupational litigation. Registered in the Santa Fe Environmental Expert Witness Registry and the Ministry EIA Consultant Registry.
Why asbestos analysis is critical — the risks of not knowing
No safe exposure level exists — IARC Group 1 carcinogen
All 6 asbestos mineral varieties are classified as Group 1 — Carcinogenic to humans by IARC. The WHO estimates more than 200,000 occupational deaths annually worldwide.

Asbestos fibres are only hazardous when airborne and inhaled. Inhalation can cause asbestosis (pulmonary fibrosis), lung cancer and mesothelioma — with a latency period of 20–40 years. Workers exposed today may not show disease until 2040–2060.

🫁
Health risk
Exposed workers may develop disease 20–40 years after inhalation — no reversible treatment.
⚖️
Legal liability
SRT / ART sanctions and criminal liability for uncontrolled occupational exposure.
🚧
Work stoppage
Demolitions and renovations halted until asbestos risk is identified and managed.
💰
Financial exposure
Occupational disease claims · litigation · remediation of uncontrolled releases.
The 6 regulated asbestos minerals — identification and properties
Correct mineral identification is essential — each variety has different morphological, optical and toxicological properties
Classification is performed by fibrous morphology and crystallographic analysis using polarised light microscopy (PLM) with colour dispersion and SEM-EDX elemental analysis. All 6 are IARC Group 1 carcinogens — no safe exposure level exists for any variety.
1
Chrysotile
White asbestos · Serpentine group · Mg₃(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄
The most widely used variety worldwide — accounting for ~95% of all historical asbestos use. Curly, flexible, silky fibres. Used in fibre cement sheets, tiles, water pipes, brake linings, clutch plates and gaskets. Remains the most frequently encountered variety in building surveys.
2
Crocidolite
Blue asbestos · Amphibole group · Na₂Fe₂²⁺Fe₃²⁺Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
The most carcinogenic asbestos variety. Straight, rigid, fine fibres that penetrate deep into lung tissue. Used in high-pressure pipework, insulation and acid-resistant products. Banned in Argentina since Resolution MSyAS 845/2000 and in most countries worldwide.
3
Amosite
Brown asbestos · Amphibole group · (Fe,Mg)₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Fibrous variety of grunerite. Straight, rigid fibres. Extensively used in thermal and acoustic insulation, ceiling tiles, fibre cement boards and industrial panels. Highly carcinogenic — classified Group 1 by IARC.
4
Anthophyllite
Amphibole group · (Mg,Fe)₇Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Rare commercial variety. Straight fibres. Occurs as a natural contaminant in industrial talc and vermiculite. Rarely used industrially — most exposures are environmental from contaminated mineral sources. Analytical identification mandatory.
5
Tremolite
Amphibole group · Ca₂Mg₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Straight fibres, variable colour. Frequently found as a natural contaminant of chrysotile asbestos, industrial talc and other minerals. Highly carcinogenic. Responsible for mesothelioma in populations with no direct occupational exposure through contaminated consumer products.
6
Actinolite
Amphibole group · Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
Rare fibrous variety. Natural contaminant in mining and aggregate extraction environments. Analytical identification is mandatory in exposure assessments near quarries and natural outcrops. PLM and SEM-EDX required for definitive identification.
Our analytical services — three complementary capabilities
Service 1
📦 Asbestos in Bulk Materials — PLM Identification
EPA 600/R-93/116 · Polarised Light Microscopy with colour dispersion

Analysis of suspect bulk samples by Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM) with colour dispersion per EPA Method 600/R-93/116. Identifies asbestos type and provides semi-quantitative estimation of percentage by weight (typically 1–100%). The standard method for building material surveys and pre-demolition assessments.

Materials typically analysed:
🏠 Fibre cement sheets & tiles
🔥 Pipe and boiler insulation
🏭 Gaskets & packing materials
🎨 Textured coatings & renders
🚗 Brake pads & clutch plates
🚰 Asbestos-cement pipes
🏗️ Vinyl floor tiles & adhesives
🧱 Roofing sheets & gutters
🛠️ Electrical cable insulation
🏢 Acoustic ceiling tiles
🔩 Thermal boards & fire barriers
⚙️ Spray-applied fire protection
Service 2
💨 Asbestos Fibres in Air — PCM Counting & TEM Identification
NIOSH 7400 · NIOSH 7402 · fibres per cm³ · Walton-Beckett graticule
NIOSH 7400 — PCM Fibre Counting
Total respirable fibre concentration by Phase Contrast Microscopy with Walton-Beckett graticule. Results expressed as fibres per cubic centimetre (f/cc). The standard method for occupational monitoring — compared against OSHA PEL (0.1 f/cc) and SRT action levels.
OSHA limits
PEL: 0.1 f/cc (8-h TWA) · STEL: 1.0 f/cc (30 min)
NIOSH 7402 — TEM Identification
Specific asbestos fibre identification by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) — differentiates asbestos from other mineral or synthetic fibres. Essential for litigation, clearance monitoring after abatement and cases where PCM results are ambiguous or disputed.
Applications
Post-abatement clearance · litigation support · ambiguous PCM results
Monitoring scenarios
✓ Occupational monitoring (TLV-TWA)
✓ Short-term exposure assessment
✓ Perimeter air during demolition
✓ Post-abatement clearance verification
✓ Indoor air quality (schools, hospitals)
✓ Due diligence surveys
✓ Emergency response (accidental release)
✓ Regulatory compliance reporting
Service 3
📋 Site Inspection & Sampling
Specialist field team · HSG264 · EPA AHERA · documented chain of custody
1
Facility survey
Systematic visual inspection · photographic documentation · mapping of critical zones and suspect materials.
2
Material identification
Cataloguing by construction age, location, condition and friability — friable vs. non-friable risk classification.
3
Sampling plan
Statistically valid design per HSG264 and EPA AHERA · safe sampling techniques · documented chain of custody.
4
Technical report
Results + risk interpretation + management recommendations — ready for presentation to SRT, ART, authorities and legal proceedings.
Our four-step process
From initial enquiry to actionable report
We guide you through every step — from scope definition to report delivery.
1
Initial consultation
We assess your specific need — preventive audit, demolition, occupational claim or identified environmental liability — and define the study scope: number of samples, techniques required and timelines.
2
Sampling or sample receipt
We coordinate specialist field sampling with full PPE, wet techniques and material containment — or receive correctly packaged samples in the laboratory under documented chain of custody.
3
Specialised analysis
Application of normalised techniques: PLM with colour dispersion for materials, PCM with Walton-Beckett graticule for air fibre counting, complemented by SEM-EDX where specific identification is required.
4
Technical report
Document with quantitative results + contextual risk interpretation + operational recommendations — what to do with the identified material, how to intervene safely, which regulations apply, what management plan to implement.
Applications — when asbestos analysis is required
🏭
Industrial facilities (pre-2003)
Plants built before 2003 — boilers, furnaces, steam pipes, thermal insulation, equipment gaskets. Proactive risk audit before intervention, maintenance or renovation work.
🚧
Demolition & renovation
Prior identification mandatory under best practice and regulatory requirements. Controlled removal plan with licensed personnel. Clearance air monitoring after abatement.
⚖️
EHS audits & compliance
ISO 14001 environmental audits · occupational health and safety audits · third-party audits · real estate due diligence prior to acquisition.
📋
Occupational claims & litigation
Workers with suspected exposure · occupational disease cases (asbestosis, mesothelioma) · labour litigation support · expert witness reports for courts.
🛡️
Asset risk management
Systematic asbestos mapping across facilities · long-term management plans · staff training · ongoing liability management for asset owners and operators.
🏢
Real estate transactions
Pre-transaction due diligence · transparency for buyers · quantification of environmental liabilities · vendor disclosure requirements.
Regulatory framework — Argentine and international standards
🇦🇷 Argentine regulations
• Res. MSyAS 845/2000 · Prohibition of crocidolite
• Res. MSyAS 823/2001 · Prohibition of amphibole varieties
• Decree 423/2003 · Total ban — chrysotile asbestos
• Decree 658/96 · List of occupational diseases (asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer)
• Res. SRT 295/2003 · Technical specifications — occupational exposure
• Res. SRT 577/91 · Health programme for exposed workers
• Res. SRT 743/2003 · Registry of companies with asbestos
• Law 19.587 · Decree 351/79 · Occupational Health & Safety
🌐 International methods & standards
• NIOSH 7400 · PCM fibre counting — Walton-Beckett graticule
• NIOSH 7402 · TEM specific asbestos identification
• EPA 600/R-93/116 · PLM in bulk building materials
• EPA 40 CFR 763 · AHERA · Asbestos in schools
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001 · Asbestos standard (PEL 0.1 f/cc)
• ISO 14966 · SEM in ambient air
• HSG 264 (UK HSE) · Survey guide
• WHO / IARC Group 1 · Carcinogenic classification
Why Biogroup for asbestos analysis
🔬
Dedicated asbestos microscopy equipment
Phase Contrast Microscope with Walton-Beckett graticule calibrated per NIOSH 7400. Polarised Light Microscope with colour dispersion for mineral identification per EPA 600/R-93/116.
⚖️
35+ years of expert witness experience
Extensive experience in environmental audits, expert testimony in occupational health proceedings and labour litigation. Registered in Santa Fe Environmental Expert Witness Registry and Ministry EIA Consultant Registry.
🌐
Internationally validated procedures
NIOSH, EPA and OSHA methods — the technical basis recognised by regulators, insurers and courts without dispute. Results accepted in Argentine and international regulatory proceedings.
📄
Actionable technical reports
Not just results — contextual interpretation and operational recommendations. What to do, how to do it safely, which regulations apply, what management plan to implement. Ready to present to SRT, ART and courts.
Official registrations
Provincial registry
Official Registry of Environmental Consultants, Experts and Expert Witnesses
Province of Santa Fe, Argentina
Ministerial registry
Registry of Environmental Impact Assessment Consultants
Ministry of Environment, Argentina
Related services
PLM · PCM · TEM · NIOSH 7400 · NIOSH 7402 · EPA 600/R-93/116
Suspect asbestos in your facility?
Send us photos, drawings or samples — we respond within 24 hours with a quote and an analytical plan. From a single bulk sample to a complete facility survey with air monitoring and expert witness report.
Request asbestos analysis →
📞 +54 341 425-6431 📞 +54 341 447-4486 ✉ biogroup@biogroup.com.ar 📍 3 de febrero 920 · Rosario, Argentina Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00