An agent added to water to improve wetting and penetration into asbestos-containing materials and which helps keep asbestos out of the air is a:

• A. Surfactant
• B. Detergent
• C. Alcohol
• D. Foaming agent

Answer: (A)

Wetting agents reduce the surface tension of water, allowing it to spread and penetrate more easily into asbestos-containing materials. This improved wetting means the material can be dampened more uniformly, which helps keep fibers from becoming airborne when the material is disturbed. A surfactant is exactly the type of agent used to enhance wetting and penetration and to help minimize dust release. Detergents are a kind of surfactant, but the general category described is surfactant. Alcohol tends to evaporate and doesn’t provide lasting dampening, and foaming agents create foam rather than improving wetting and sustained dampness.