Drax Power Station, Yorkshire, UK - November 29, 2023. Drax coal fired power plant in North Yorkshire, UK with coal stack and Biomass storage tanks at sunset with copy space
People are talking about safety and air pollution.
It seems like it used to be more of a general issue, along with things like traffic and suburban sprawl. But the situation, for many, is getting more dire, and it’s becoming more important to keep an eye on the air that we breathe.
This piece from the Greenville Advocate is only one of many that references a World Health Organization statistic, that 99% of people around the world breathe dirty or unhealthy air. Dr. Jaisingh Rajput breaks down the science around this, and why it’s important.
Rajput estimates that the effects of air pollution lead to 7 million premature deaths annually.
Contaminants and Their Sources
So what is in the air that’s causing all of this concern?
Well, more wildfires means more combustion. That means more small particles that can be unhealthy for human ingestion. That’s in addition to many of the same combustion particles in industrial operations, and those being released with coal and fossil fuels.
Then there are other potentially harmful chemicals, packed into consumer goods and furniture, that enter our homes on a regular basis. These include, for example, formaldehyde, a caustic chemical, and benzene, another element that can irritate the lungs.
Sometimes learning a little more about the science helps us to evaluate and assess what we’re breathing.
So let’s talk a little bit about a couple of terms that were used in this coverage of air quality around the world.
PM 2.5 and PM 10
This year, we’ve written a lot about PM 2.5 on this blog.
We’ve stressed the common sources of PM 2.5, including:
- Wildfires
- Industrial pollution
- Coal burning facilities
We’ve spent a lot less time talking about PM10.
Let’s start with a recap of PM 2.5 – PM 2.5 refers to ultrafine particles that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter. These are able to penetrate deep into the lungs, and cause certain kinds of respiratory conditions and health concerns.
OK, so what is PM 10?
The naming convention makes sense, because PM 10 refers to particles around 10 microns in diameter.
So they’re a fair bit larger than PM 2.5 particles.
Are they safer?
Because of their size, PM 10 particles are in general less likely to go deep into the lungs. But they’re still dangerous to human health. They can still get into the lungs and cause problems. They can even be pretty abrasive.
Examples of PM 10
One example of PM 10 is heavy soot, the kind of thing you would see in dangerous smog in cities.
Another is certain types of aerosols that come in the form of mist from liquid dispersion.
Things like mold and pet dander can also qualify as PM 10.
Organic and Inorganic Particles
Reading the literature on PM 10, you also see another item included in the list of contaminants called ‘inorganic soil particles.’
What does that mean?
An inorganic component of soil is a mineral component that doesn’t come from a living organism.
Examples include tiny bits of things like quartz, feldspar and limestone.
As you might imagine, these can still irritate the lungs or internal tissues, and contribute to health conditions.
Evaluating Your Indoor Air
Although you can have a lot of air pollution wafting around the outdoors in your community, many of these contaminants tend to build up in enclosed spaces.
That’s what makes it important to use modern air purifiers to scrub your indoor air and make it cleaner and safer to breathe.
Using modern filtration methods, an air purifier cycles air through the unit, and takes out a lot of these troublesome microbes, whether they come from organic or inorganic sources.
Modern units are also extremely effective. For example, a medical grade HEPA will remove 99.97% of particles down to .3 microns, and a super HEPA barrier will remove 99.99% down to .1 microns, which covers PM 2.5 capably.
We’ve talked in detail about the design of these filters, and all of the new technology in air purification systems, and you can read more about it on our product pages, and elsewhere on the website. In terms of useful models, check out an AirPura c700dlx, or an AirPura i700, or an Amaircare 675.
US Air Purifiers LLC can help you to cleanse your indoor air, and get a better result with modern technology that fights air pollution where it lives- and where you live, too!
Make an investment in your health and the health of your family, to breathe easier all day and all night.