v>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA-600/S7-81-032 May 1981
Project Summary
Asbestos/Asbestiform
Research in EPA ORD
Lisa S. Kohn and Michael R. Taylor
This report summarizes the current
effects of the EPA Office of Research
and Development laboratories to pro-
vide state-of-the-art research and
development regarding asbestos and
asbestos-like minerals.
The EPA asbestos/asbestiform re-
search program encompasses a wide
range of activity directed toward the
control and management of mining,
milling, processing, fabricating, and
end uses of asbestos. Widespread
applications of asbestos in the past
have exposed large segments of the
population to unknown risks. Re-
search should provide valuable
answers to numerous questions related
to the use of and the exposure to
asbestiform. Access to state-of-the-
art research information is a necessary
ingredient that enables programs of
corrective action to be carried for-
ward, minimizing environmental
damage and risk.
Five agencies comprising the Inter-
agency Regulatory Liaison Group
(IRLG) signed an interagency
agreement to improve public health
through information exchange and to
reduce waste- and duplication in
government. The IRLG consists of the
Department of Agriculture, Consumer
Product Safety Commission, Environ-
mental Protection Agency, Food and
Drug Administration and Occupation-
al Safety and Health Administration.
These agencies have established a
cooperative endeavor to protect the
public from exposure to harmful levels
of toxic substances (the toxic sub-
stances can result from the use of
consumer products, food and drugs in
the workplace, or from exposure to
contaminants in land, air or water) by
the sharing of information and the
development of consistent regulatory
policy. This report is intended to up-
date EPA's laboratory research-pro-
grams dealing with asbestos and
related asbestiform.
The final report was submitted in
fulfillment of Contract No. 68-03-2673
by JACA Corporation, Management
Consultants and Engineers, Fort
Washington, PA, under the sponsor-
ship of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
This Project Summary was develop-
ed by EPA's Industrial Environmental
Research Laboratory. Cincinnati. OH.
to announce key findings of the
research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the
same t/tle-fsee Project Report ordering
information at back).
Introduction
The association of impaired human
health with industrial exposure to
asbestos is well known. Asbestosis
(fibrosis of the lung) and pulmonary
cancer are associated with the mining
and milling of asbestos and the manu-
facture and use of asbestos products.
There is a need to define the various
sources from which asbestos and
asbestos-like minerals enter the envi-
ronment, to establish subsequent
health and environmental effects, and
to examine possible control strategies
that will offer current regulatory alter-
natives.
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In response to this need, the Office of
Research and Development (ORD) is
active in several areas of laboratory
research. The following laboratories are
involved m these asbestos-related
research projects:
• Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory—Cincinnati (lERL-Ci)
• Municipal Environmental Research
Laboratory—Cincinnati (MERL-Ci)
• Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory—Research
Triangle Park (EMSL-RTP)
• Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory—Las Vegas
(EMSL-LV)
• Health Effects Research Laboratory
—Cincinnati (HERL-Ci)
• Health Effects Research Laboratory
—Research Triangle Park (HERL-
RTP)
• Environmental Research Labora-
tory—Duluth (ERL-Du)
• Environmental Sciences Research
Laboratory—Research Triangle
Park (ESRL-RTP)
• Environmental Research Labora-
tory—Athens (ERL-Ath)
• Environmental Research Labora-
tory—Gulf Breeze (ERL-GB)
The research encompasses: (1) con-
trol, removal, and disposal technologies;
(2) monitoring and sampling techniques;
(3) health effects; and (4) identification
arid measurement techniques.
Efforts are focused on the develop-
ment of technologies for the safe and
effective control, removal, and disposal
of asbestos in both industrial and public
buildings (lERL-Ci). The application of
various treatment techniques for filtra-
tion of asbestos fibers in public water
supply systems and the coating of
asbestos-containing materials to
prevent the entrance of asbestos into air
and water are also being studied
(MERL-Ci). The development of these
technologies will minimize human
exposure to asbestos and asbestos-
containing materials.
Extensive monitoring and sampling
are conducted to develop an asbestos
standard, support revisions of existing
standards (EMSL-RTP), and respond to
emergency requests for information
(EMSL-LV).
Cooperative in vivo and in vitro
studies, and mineralogical analyses are
used to develop a predictive model for
the analysis of asbestos-like minerals
(HERL-RTP, ERL-Du). Epidemiological
studies of occupational and non-
occupational exposure are also being
conducted. The results of these studies
can provide health effects data useful
for evaluating the risk of human expo-
sure to asbestiform.
Epidemiological, animal, and cell
culture studies are conducted in order to
examine the health effects of drinking
water containing asbestos (HERL-Ci).
The accumulation of mineral fibers in
aquatic organisms is also studied to
extend the methodology for identifying
and characterizing asbestos and
asbestos-like fibers in tissue (ERL-Du,
ERL-GB).
Research is continuing for the
development and improvement of
standard measurement methods of
using the electron microscope in the
analysis of both inhaled (ESRL-RTP) and
ingested (ERL-Ath) asbestos fibers.
Research is also being directed toward
the development of non-electron, bulk,
rapid, analytical methods that will be
less costly and time-consuming, and
toward the development of improved
preparation and preservation method-
ology.
Lisa S. Kohn and Michael R. Taylor are with JAC A Corporation, Ft. Washington,
PA 19034.
Orville Macomber and Thomas Po wers are the EPA Project Officers (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Asbestos/Asbestiform Research in EPA ORD,"
Order No. PB31-191 876; Cost $9.50, subject to change) will be available only
from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
Contact Thomas Powers at:
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati. OH 45268
«r U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1tt1 -757-0 U/711Z
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
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