ANALYSIS OF DUST FOR MINERAL CONTENT FROM LOCATIONS WITHIN BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

Natural dust is produced in the environment due in part to physical weathering and fragmentation of source rocks. Certain minerals of respirable size (0.2-0.7 microns), such as quartz and asbestos, have been known to cause lung damage and cancer. The intent of this project was to determine the presence of such minerals in dust samples of western North Carolina. Samples were collected from an organic farm in Weaverville, suburban home in Black Mountain, and the University of North Carolina- Asheville, and analyzed for their mineral content. The Scanning Electron Microscope was used for imaging of the dust particles with the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer for analyzing their composition.

Minerals found in dust samples included quartz, plagioclase feldspar, calcite, biotite, muscovite, and hornblende (amphibole). The earth’s crust is abundant in such minerals, so it is logical to find them in dust samples. The minerals were not of respirable size based on the quantitative methods of this study, although their presence may be indicative of smaller particles. Some varieties of amphibole may be asbestiform; however, common natural amphibole, such as the hornblende that was identified, is non-asbestiform and nonhazardous to human health. Further quantification of the quartz particles using elemental mapping would provide information needed to assess risk of silicosis.