Neilson Research Corporation technical staff can test for the presence of asbestos in a variety of building materials. Our Microbiology Lab uses the latest technology to test for asbestos fibers in your home. Asbestos has been used in building materials for decades, and can safely be ignored if it is intact and undisturbed. Only material that is damaged or will be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) should be sampled.

Taking samples yourself is not recommended, since releasing fibers can be more dangerous than leaving the material alone. Our professional field technician can safely collect a sample for you. If you choose to take the samples yourself, be careful not to release fibers into the air. Precisely follow these steps:

When a sample arrives at the lab, our technical staff adheres to strict standard operating procedures. The material is carefully studied by an experienced analyst, who has trained at the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago, for the microscopic identification of asbestos materials. The sample is carefully dissected, and then a portion of the sample is identified with a polarizing light  microscope. A report will be generated and reviewed by our Quality Control Officer, then your results will be mailed to you.

Asbestos is the name applied to a group of six different minerals that occur naturally in the environment. Similar in structure to fiberglass, the long thin asbestos fibers are neither volatile nor water-soluble and are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation. Asbestos is used in a wide range of products, including building materials, friction products and heat resistant fabrics. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that may contain asbestos. Expanded vermiculite is lightweight, fire-resistant, absorbent and odorless, properties that make it useful in numerous products including attic insulation, packing material and garden products. Since asbestos fibers may cause harmful health effects in people who are exposed, the EPA has banned all new uses of asbestos in the United States. Exposure to asbestos occurs when the fibers become airborne due to the breakdown of manufactured asbestos products.

The EPA has classified asbestos as a Group A human carcinogen, based primarily on inhalation studies. Asbestos exposure has been shown to cause two types of lung cancer, as well as causing a build up of scar tissue within the lung, leading to shortness of breath, coughing, and eventually severe impairment of respiratory function. Health problems from asbestos exposure are caused by the small size of the fibers which can enter the nuclei of cells and interfere with normal cell division. Factors affecting the severity of symptoms of asbestos exposure include dosage, duration, fiber type, and overall state of health.

Source: ATSDR (2001) Toxicological Profile for Asbestos. Atlanta, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CAS 1332-21-4)."