Asbestos analysis and characterisation
At the Experimental Techniques Centre, we provide accredited asbestos analysis using advanced electron microscopy, ensuring the highest level of certainty and credibility in our results.
The centre holds UKAS accreditation (ISO17025) for asbestos characterisation using electron microscopy (EM). Most asbestos testing laboratories carry out their analysis using light microscopy, which is much quicker and less expensive, however, electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) remains the most comprehensive mode of analysis. The higher magnifications and resolutions, as well as the added elemental microanalysis, give this form of analysis the highest level of certainty and credibility.
The use of electron microscopy for asbestos analysis in the UK is still considered a deeper lever of analysis to complement the screening performed by optical microscopy. However, there is a growing trend in Europe to transition more analysis over to electron microscopy and the centre is seeing growth in this area of commercial testing. In terms of accreditation, the ETC is one of only a handful of locations that offer asbestos testing by EM and is currently the only university that holds UKAS certification for this work.
We are regularly approached by the industry for accredited asbestos testing by EM with typical customers ranging from labs that carry out optical microscopy to large decommissioning projects. Three of our scanning electron microscopes and one transmission electron microscope are within the scope of UKAS work