Particulates

Particulates or atmospheric particulate matter (see below for other names) are <a href="/facts/Microscopic/EHg18xvy">microscopic</a> <a href="/facts/Particle/JHKr2w6h">particles</a> of solid or liquid <a href="/facts/Matter/osyc04UN">matter</a> <a href="/facts/Suspension_(chemistry)/S3xp96TL">suspended</a> in the <a href="/facts/Atmosphere_of_Earth/FV97Am25">air</a>. An <a href="/facts/Aerosol/X1jXFLp2">aerosol</a> is a <a href="/facts/Mixture/tms8rbmn">mixture</a> of particulates and air, as opposed to the particulate matter alone, though it is sometimes defined as a subset of aerosol terminology. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or <a href="/facts/Anthropogenic_hazard/d7oHeBe7">anthropogenic</a>. Particulates have impacts on climate and <a href="/facts/Precipitation/uq3nGQc8">precipitation</a> that adversely affect human <a href="/facts/Health/yzPVrjTs">health</a>, in ways additional to direct inhalation.
Types of <a href="/facts/Atmosphere/oUpLaGRF">atmospheric</a> particles include suspended particulate matter; thoracic and respirable particles; inhalable coarse particles, designated PM10, which are <a href="/facts/Granularity/kBqMRzaj">coarse</a> <a href="/facts/Particle/JHKr2w6h">particles</a> with a <a href="/facts/Particle_size/KWwwGkn4">diameter</a> of 10 <a href="/facts/Micrometre/7eDFxD2L">micrometers</a> (μm) or less; fine particles, designated PM2.5, with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less; <a href="/facts/Ultrafine_particle/smD046Iz">ultrafine particles</a>, with a diameter of 100 nm or less; and <a href="/facts/Soot/xzU91yKv">soot</a>.
Airborne particulate matter is a <a href="/facts/List_of_IARC_Group_1_carcinogens/EY8MuDwQ">Group 1 carcinogen</a>. Particulates are the most harmful form (other than <a href="/facts/Ultrafine_particle/smD046Iz">ultra-fines</a>) of <a href="/facts/Air_pollution/zmk9Dy7S">air pollution</a> as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and brain from blood streams, causing health problems such as <a href="/facts/Cardiovascular_disease/HD420nMv">heart disease</a>, <a href="/facts/Respiratory_disease/CDRTg5Ev">lung disease</a>, <a href="/facts/Cancer/PVW6n1D0">cancer</a> and <a href="/facts/Preterm_birth/szMos8tu">preterm birth</a>. There is no safe level of particulates. Worldwide, exposure to PM2.5 contributed to 4.1 million deaths from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic lung disease, and respiratory infections in 2016. Overall, ambient particulate matter is one of the leading risk factor for premature death globally.

Particulates open-in-new

Particulates