An infrared spectrometric and an independent X-ray diffraction method were developed for the analysis of α-quartz in airborne respirable coal dust. Sensitivity is such that the procedures can be used for analysis of the material from a single membrane filter such as is used for personal samplers by the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration (MESA) in its enforcement program. Sensitivity down to less than 10 µg of quartz is obtainable. The methods are reasonably precise with good agreement between them. Their accuracy is limited by the unavailability of a true quartz standard. In both procedures dust is transferred ultarsonically from the collection filter to a small area of a second filter which is relatively infrared-transparent and has a weak X-ray background. This technique provides a substantial increase in area concentration and attendant sensitivity. Both methods, in principle, are capable of use with a wide variety of solid materials.
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Freedman et al. (1974) studied this question.