[Correlations between selected indicators of asbestos dust pollution of the work environment].

Occupational exposure to asbestos dust induces many diseases, of which the most dangerous are: asbestosis, pulmonary cancer and pleural endothelioma. Exposure to asbestos dust is evaluated by: total gravimetric concentration of dust, gravimetric concentration of respirable fraction or numerical concentration of asbestos fibres of over 5 microns. The research has been aimed to establish whether or not there are correlations between the mentioned indices of asbestos dust exposure. The concentrations have been measured at various workstations in the plants producing textile asbestos products, frictional and asbestos--cement products. The gravimetric concentrations have been determined using the filtration--gravimetric method with cyclonic pre-selector and without selector. The numerical concentration of fibres has been determined by a microscopic phase--contrast method. The statistical analysis of the obtained results showed no correlation between particular indices, or--weak correlations (r = 0.004-0.76). No correlation has been found between total gravimetric concentration and numerical concentration of asbestos fibres. The ratio between those concentrations was 0.094-4.69, therefore both those concentrations should be included while evaluating the working conditions of those exposed to asbestos dusts.