The microscope has always played an important part in the field of environmental science. Initially it was involved mostly with those who analyzed for biological indicators of pollution or those who examined air pollution particles, but more recently it is being used by a large number of analysts of particulate samples following the concern over asbestos in schools. With the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1987, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) formally joined polarized

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... ight microscopy (PLM) and phase contrast microscopy (PCM) as a recognized regulation-required standard procedure for the analysis of asbestos. While asbestos remains a considerable activity in environmental microscopy, other areas including analysis of nan-asbestos fibers such as ceramic fibers, lead particle source determination, respirable silica measurement, and indoor air qualify particle examination have seen some interesting developments.