CASITILE, THE NEW ASBESTOS (Revised) Page 5: Experimental Evidence and Examples (Cont.)
Figure 1 shows an EM image of the control chrysotile sample, whereas Figure 2 shows an image of the fibres from the cement dust sample. Figure 3 clearly shows the calcium and silicon bodies on the dust sample fibre, demonstrating the chemical change taken place.
Figure 1. EM image of chrysotile fibres
Figure 2. EM image of the fibres from the AC dust comparison
Figure 3. EM images of the altered chrysotile fibre with calcium and silicon bodies
Figure 3 clearly shows the visibly altered nature of the AC sample fibre when compared with the pure chrysotile fibres in Figure 1. Figure 4 (below) shows the actual chemical analysis of the AC samples alongside a control chrysotile sample. The calcium and silicon spikes are consistently present in the dust sample fibre, significantly altering the chemical composition of what was once a chrysotile fibre.
Figure 4. Chemical analysis of fibres from a control chrysotile sample and AC samples
So important are the implications of these findings that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) instructed the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to duplicate Professor Pooley’s investigation. The results became available in 2007 but unfortunately government spin had altered the hypotheses to be tested out of all recognition and the analyses produced were arguably flawed.