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A comparison of the analysis of respirable crystalline silica direct-on-filter methods using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was undertaken using 253 real workplace air samples from road construction and tunnelling, coal mining, and kitchen benchtop manufacturing in Australia. Using pure α-quartz standards, XRD and FT-IR direct-on-filter analyses produced identical test results, however, the real workplace samples showed a clear discrepancy between FT-IR and XRD results with on average a 9% positive bias of the FT-IR results. The cause of the positive bias was due to matrix interferences which was confirmed by using synthetic mixture air samples. Approximately a third of the data by direct-on-filter method using FT-IR was assessed to be invalid based on the peak height ratio criterion due to excessive interferences and weight overload limitations. The XRD method showed better results due to less interference from the common matrices. XRD could handle up to twice the sample loading and at higher loadings up to 7 mg when a correction was applied. It was also able to achieve a lower limit of detection of 2 µg filter−1 when a slower scan condition was utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is rich in supernova remnants (SNRs), which can be investigated in detail with radio, optical, and X-ray observations. SNRJ0453-6829 is an X-ray and radio-bright remnant in the LMC, within which previous studies revealed the presence of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN), making it one of the most interesting SNRs in the Local Group of galaxies. Aims. We study the emission of SNRJ0453-6829 to improve our understanding of its morphology, spectrum, and thus the emission mechanisms in the shell and the PWN of the remnant. Methods. We obtained new radio data with the Australia Telescope Compact Array and analysed archival XMM-Newton observations of SNRJ0453-6829. We studied the morphology of SNRJ0453-6829 from radio, optical, and X-ray images and investigated the energy spectra in the different parts of the remnant. Results. Our radio results confirm that this LMC SNR hosts a typical PWN. The prominent central core of the PWN exhibits a radio spectral index αCore of -0.04 ± 0.04, while in the rest of the SNR shell the spectral slope is somewhat steeper with αShell = -0.43 ± 0.01. We detect regions with a mean polarisation of P (12 ± 4)% at 6 cm and (9 ± 2)% at 3 cm. The full remnant is of roughly circular shape with dimensions of (31±1) pc × (29±1) pc. The spectral analysis of the XMM-Newton EPIC and RGS spectra allowed us to derive physical parameters for the SNR. Somewhat depending on the spectral model, we obtain for the remnant a shock temperature of around 0.2 keV and estimate the dynamical age to 12 000-15 000 years. Using a Sedov model we further derive an electron density in the X-ray emitting material of 1.56 cm-3, typical for LMC remnants, a large swept-up mass of 830 M☉, and an explosion energy of 7.6 × 1050 erg. These parameters indicate a well evolved SNR with an X-ray spectrum dominated by emission from the swept-up material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]