Comparison of fiber counting by TV screen and eyepieces of phase contrast microscopy.

This study designed a modified light path of a phase-contrast microscope to evaluate the feasibility of fiber counting on a television screen (TVS). A comparison also was made of the fiber counts, fiber density, and precision derived from repeatedly counting fibers through eyepieces (EPs) and on a TVS connected to a phase contrast microscope. Thirty asbestos fiber samples were counted 10 times repeatedly. Ten samples were counted by viewing the same field through an EP and on a TVS alternately, whereas the other 20 samples were counted separately by using an EP and a TVS. The A rules of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 7400 method was quoted. No statistically significant difference of fiber density (p = 0.39) or fiber counts (p > 0.05) was observed between the TVS and EP methods, though TVS gave a slightly lower value than EP did. The bias of the two methods was 7.7 +/- 8.0% on an average. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for both methods were the same, 0.40, which resembled the theoretical RSD, 0.44, of NIOSH 7400. Meanwhile, the theoretical and experimental RSDs were not significantly different for either method (p > 0.05). The modified light path of a phase contrast microscope provided a compatible view with less eye strain on a TVS than a conventional EP. Moreover, operator biases and variability might be greatly reduced by training several counters simultaneously on the TVS.