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Semi-Quantitative Determination of Asbestiform Amphibole Mineral Concentrations in Western Lake Superior Water Samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

P. M. Cook
P. M. Cook*
Affiliation:
National Water Quality Laboratory, U. S. EPA, Duluth, Minnesota 55804
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Abstract

The amphibole mineral, cummingtonite-grunerite, has been used as a tracer for taconite tailings discharged into Western Lake Superior. The discovery of many asbestiform amphibole fibers in the tailings and Western Lake Superior water lead to concern over fiber concentrations in municipal water supplies using this water. This concern was based on the association between human asbestos exposure and increased rates of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and peritoneum. An x-ray diffraction external standard technique has been developed for rapid, inexpensive, semi-quantitative determinations of amphibole mass concentration in water. The average amphibole mass concentrations for different Western Lake Superior water intakes compare very well with the average electron microscope fiber counts for the same samples. Daily amphibole analysis of the Duluth water supply indicates an average amphibole concentration of 0.19 milligrams per liter.

Type
Research Article
Information
Advances in X-Ray Analysis , Volume 18: Twenty-Third Annual Conference on Applications of X-ray Analysis, August 7-9, 1974 , 1974 , pp. 557 - 567
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1974

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