Particulate Matter as a Health Hazard

The single most important thing on this planet for us human and all other living things is air. Air is the sole reason we are able to do anything in life because without it we would all be dead within a matter of minutes. Although we may take for granted the air we breathe on a daily basis we must be concerned with the fact that they’re may be things in our air that can be toxin to our health if we breathe them for a long period of time. The things that I am talking about are known as particulates or little piece of a multitude of different items that can cause many different ailments to form. Particular matter or PM or soot, consists of microscopically small solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the air. The smaller the particles, the deeper they can penetrate into the respiratory system and the more hazardous they are to breathe. PM pollution can cause lung irritation, which leads to increased permeability in lung tissue. It may also aggravate the severity of chronic lung diseases, causing rapid loss of airway function. PM can cause inflammation of lung tissue, resulting in the release of chemicals that can impact heart function. This all depends on the size of particulates the smaller the particle the more dangerous it can be to one’s health The smaller-sized particles - those 2.5 micrometers or less called PM2.5 - are of greatest health concern because they can pass through the nose and throat and be absorbed deep inside the lungs. While 2.5 is the smallest and most dangerous type of PM one should not think lightly on other particulates that can range up to sized 10 or 10 micrometers. This is because all can cause harm to an individual if he or she is exposed to them for too long.