Which type of Asbestos 'wet' with water easiest?

• A. Chrysotile
• B. Amosite
• C. Crocidolite
• D. Anthophyllite

Answer: (D)

Wetting with water depends on how easily water interacts with the fiber surface. A surface that water wets readily has a relatively hydrophilic character, so water spreads and dampens the fiber with less effort. Among these minerals, anthophyllite tends to present surface properties that water can wet more readily than the others, so water dampens the fibers more easily and suppresses dust more effectively. The other forms—chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite—have surface characteristics that resist wetting by plain water and often require surfactants or wetter conditions to achieve the same dampening. So, water wets anthophyllite most easily.