Microscopic identification of asbestos fibres associated with African clay crafts manufacture

Kelone Khudu-Petersen, Delphine Bard, Norma Garrington, Jack Yarwood and Barry Tylee
Department of Primary Education, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana Sheffield Hallam University, Materials Research Institute, City Campus, Pond Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB, UK Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK Health and Safety Laboratory, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ, UK
Correspondence: /CORRES>
Received 21 October, 1998; Revised 20 May, 1999.
The use of asbestos in manufacturing is a world-wide phenomenon, not just confined to the developed world. The activity described below shows that there are similar problems in the third world which need to be tackled. A sample of white fibrous material used in pot making by women in a village of Botswana was provided for analysis. The identification of fibres was carried out using established analytical and vibrational microspectroscopic methods. The occupational hygiene implications and the measures which may need to be taken in order to improve the safety of the pot making process are discussed in this article.