Sangam: A Confluence of Knowledge Streams

A Computer-Controlled SEM-EDX Routine for Characterizing Respirable Coal Mine Dust

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dc.contributor Mining and Minerals Engineering
dc.creator Johann-Essex, Victoria
dc.creator Keles, Cigdem
dc.creator Sarver, Emily A.
dc.date 2017-09-20T18:29:17Z
dc.date 2017-09-20T18:29:17Z
dc.date 2017-01-23
dc.date 2017-09-20T18:29:17Z
dc.date.accessioned 2023-03-01T18:51:07Z
dc.date.available 2023-03-01T18:51:07Z
dc.identifier Johann-Essex, V.; Keles, C.; Sarver, E. A Computer-Controlled SEM-EDX Routine for Characterizing Respirable Coal Mine Dust. Minerals 2017, 7, 15.
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/10919/79308
dc.identifier https://doi.org/10.3390/min7010015
dc.identifier.uri http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/281477
dc.description A recent resurgence in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (or “black lung”) and concerns over other related respiratory illnesses have highlighted the need to elucidate characteristics of airborne particulates in occupational environments. A better understanding of particle size, aspect ratio, or chemical composition may offer new insights regarding causal factors of such illnesses. Scanning electron microscopy analysis using energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) can be used to estimate these particle characteristics. If conducted manually, such work can be very time intensive, limiting the number of particles that can be analyzed. Moreover, potential exists for user bias in interpretation of EDX spectra. A computer-controlled (CC) routine, on the other hand, can allow similar analysis at a much faster rate, increasing total particle counts and reproducibility of results. This paper describes a CCSEM-EDX routine specifically developed for analysis of respirable dust samples from coal mines. The routine is verified based on reliability of results obtained on samples of known materials, and reproducibility of results obtained on a set of 10 dust samples collected in the field. The characteristics of the field samples are also discussed with respect to mine occupational environments.
dc.description Published version
dc.format application/pdf
dc.format application/pdf
dc.language en
dc.publisher MDPI
dc.rights Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
dc.rights http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject CCSEM-EDX
dc.subject respirable coal mine dust
dc.subject dust characteristics
dc.subject occupational health
dc.subject black lung
dc.title A Computer-Controlled SEM-EDX Routine for Characterizing Respirable Coal Mine Dust
dc.title Minerals
dc.type Article - Refereed
dc.type Text


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