CALL FOR PAPERS

ABSTRACTS DUE: February 28, 2020

Third ASTM Symposium on Silica and Associated Respirable Mineral Particles

October 29-30, 2020

Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld

Orlando, FL

ABOUT THE EVENT

Papers are invited for the Third ASTM Symposium on Silica and Associated Respirable Mineral Particles to be held October 29-30, 2020. Sponsored by ASTM Committee D22 on Air Quality, the symposium will be held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the October standards development meetings of the committee.

Objective

Crystalline silica accounts for 12% by weight of the earth’s crust and is present in most rock and soils and many construction materials. Chronic and acute respiratory disease associated with occupational exposure to airborne respirable crystalline silica (RCS) has been observed through history and, currently, there is no effective treatment. Therefore, it is essential to understand the working environments where silica dust is present in order to take all necessary precautions for workers health.

Improving and standardizing analytical methodologies across laboratories and countries and developing samplers that provide additional RCS mass for analysis is required to address this situation. Combining these two approaches will allow accurate evaluation of workplace concentrations of RCS and has the potential to allow shorter-term task-based sampling for better understanding of the determinants of exposure. This Symposium builds on the work presented at the first and second ASTM Silica Symposia held in 2004 and 2012 and provides an update on progress towards accurately assessing RCS exposures for compliance with limit values and beyond compliance for improved worker protection. It will be valuable to regulators and bodies which set guidance for RCS exposures, managers and technicians of laboratories engaged in RCS analysis, hygienists and others collecting samples for RCS, risk assessors and managers engaged in determining and managing the risks of products or processes that may result in emission of RCS, and representatives of workers exposed to these products and processes.

Symposium paper topics of all aspects of sampling and analysis of airborne respirable dust generally or respirable crystalline silica specifically are invited and may include:

• development, implementation, quality assurance and validation of existing or novel samplers
• direct and indirect sample preparation procedures
• analytical methods (gravimetric, colorimetric, infra-red absorption or x-ray diffraction).

ABSTRACT SUBMITTAL

To participate in the symposium, authors must submit a 300-word preliminary abstract using the online Abstract Submittal Form no later than February 28, 2020.

For more information about the symposium, please visit: http://www.astm.org/D22SymposiumCFPOct2020.