EPA/600/J-93/167 (Carpet Sonication Method)

Methods for the Analysis of Carpet Samples for Asbestos 

This is a TEM method to determine if asbestos fibers are present in a carpet sample.  The method is destructive, that is a piece of the carpet (typically 10 by 10 cm) has to be cut and sent to the lab.  The carpet is then sonicated in the lab to release the fibers from the carpet.  This method has a much greater recovery of asbestos than the ASTM D 5755 microvac method.  This method gives a better index of the amount of asbestos contamination in the carpet while the microvac method gives an index of the readily releasable asbestos fibers from the carpet surface.