US EPA

3580567 

Journal Article 

Asbestos in talc powders and in soapstone - The present state 

Mattenklott, M 

2007 

1 

Staub, Reinhaltung der Luft
ISSN: 0039-0771 

67 

7-8 

287-292 

WOS:000249597400002 

Talc powder and soapstone may contain asbestos. Random samples taken in the course of the past ten years from materials in use in Germany revealed only low asbestos contents. The present paper is based on analyses of bulk sample carried out by the German Berufsgenossenschaften as part of their prevention activities. In about one quarter of the 57 talc powder samples and 35 soapstone samples analysed by the BG-Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BGIA), asbestos could be detected, albeit in low concentrations. Two samples of each talc and soapstone samples contained asbestos in quantities exceeding 0.1 weight %. Workplace measurements showed that use of talc powders containing no more than 0.1 weight % of asbestos resulted in asbestos fibre concentrations ranging at about 10,000 fibres/m(3). Asbestos fibres could only be identified in five out of 68 workplace air samples, taken in 39 measurement series. The asbestos content and the exposition situation at the workplace are to be determined in accordance to the German Technical Rule for hazardous substances (TRGS) 517.