Particulates

Particulates or atmospheric particulate matter (see below for other names) are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The term aerosol commonly refers to the particulate/air mixture, as opposed to the particulate matter alone.^[1] Sources of particulate matter can be natural or anthropogenic.^[2] They have impacts on climate and precipitation that adversely affect human health, in ways additional to direct inhalation.

Types of atmospheric particles include suspended particulate matter; thoracic and respirable particles;^[3] inhalable coarse particles, designated PM₁₀, which are coarse particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers (μm) or less; fine particles, designated PM_2.5, with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less;^[4] ultrafine particles, with a diameter of 100 nm or less; and soot.

Airborne particulate matter is a Group 1 carcinogen.^[5] Particulates are the most harmful form (other than ultra-fines) of air pollution^[6] as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and brain from blood streams, causing health problems such as heart disease, lung disease, and premature death.^[7] There is no safe level of particulates. A 2013 study concluded that "particulate matter air pollution contributes to lung cancer incidence in Europe".^[8] Worldwide, exposure to PM_2.5 contributed to 4.1 million deaths from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic lung disease, and respiratory infections in 2016.^[9] Overall, ambient particulate matter is one of the leading risk factor for premature death globally.^[10]

^ Seinfeld J, Pandis S (1998). Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-471-17816-3.
^ Plainiotis S, Pericleous KA, Fisher BE, Shier L (January 2010). "Application of Lagrangian particle dispersion models to air quality assessment in the Trans-Manche region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais (France) and Kent (Great Britain)" (PDF). International Journal of Environment and Pollution. 40 (1/2/3): 160–74. doi:10.1504/IJEP.2010.030891.
^ Brown JS, Gordon T, Price O, Asgharian B (April 2013). "Thoracic and respirable particle definitions for human health risk assessment". Particle and Fibre Toxicology. 10: 12. doi:10.1186/1743-8977-10-12. PMC 3640939. PMID 23575443.
^ US EPA, OAR (19 April 2016). "Particulate Matter (PM) Basics". US EPA. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
^ "EHP – Outdoor Particulate Matter Exposure and Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". ehp.niehs.nih.gov. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
^ Wasley, Andrew; Heal, Alexandra; Harvey, Fiona; Lainio, Mie (13 June 2019). "Revealed: UK government failing to tackle rise of serious air pollutant". The Guardian.
^ US EPA, OAR (26 April 2016). "Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM)". US EPA. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
^ Cite error: The named reference Lancet71013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "STATE OF GLOBAL AIR/2018 A SPECIAL REPORT ON GLOBAL EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND ITS DISEASE BURDEN" (PDF). Health Effects Institute. 2018.
^ "The Weight of Numbers: Air Pollution and PM_2.5". Undark. Retrieved 6 September 2018.

[1] Seinfeld J, Pandis S (1998). Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-471-17816-3.

[2] Plainiotis S, Pericleous KA, Fisher BE, Shier L (January 2010). "Application of Lagrangian particle dispersion models to air quality assessment in the Trans-Manche region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais (France) and Kent (Great Britain)" (PDF). International Journal of Environment and Pollution. 40 (1/2/3): 160–74. doi:10.1504/IJEP.2010.030891.

[ncbi.nlm.nih.gov-3] Brown JS, Gordon T, Price O, Asgharian B (April 2013). "Thoracic and respirable particle definitions for human health risk assessment". Particle and Fibre Toxicology. 10: 12. doi:10.1186/1743-8977-10-12. PMC 3640939. PMID 23575443.

[US_EPA-4] US EPA, OAR (19 April 2016). "Particulate Matter (PM) Basics". US EPA. Retrieved 5 October 2019.

[5] "EHP – Outdoor Particulate Matter Exposure and Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". ehp.niehs.nih.gov. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.

[6] Wasley, Andrew; Heal, Alexandra; Harvey, Fiona; Lainio, Mie (13 June 2019). "Revealed: UK government failing to tackle rise of serious air pollutant". The Guardian.

[EPA-7] US EPA, OAR (26 April 2016). "Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM)". US EPA. Retrieved 5 October 2019.

[Lancet71013-8] Cite error: The named reference Lancet71013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[State_of_Global_Air_2018-9] "STATE OF GLOBAL AIR/2018 A SPECIAL REPORT ON GLOBAL EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND ITS DISEASE BURDEN" (PDF). Health Effects Institute. 2018.

[10] "The Weight of Numbers: Air Pollution and PM_2.5". Undark. Retrieved 6 September 2018.

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