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This diagram shows types, and size distribution in micrometres (μm), of atmospheric particulate matter.
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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]

Sources

Human activities generate significant amounts of particulates. For example:

• Burning of fossil fuels (e.g., aircraft),^[11][12][13] joss paper,^[14][15][16] waste,^[17] firecrackers^[18] and biomass including wood^[19] and crop residue.
• Construction^{[20][21][22][23]} (activities of building rehabilitation/ refurbishment or demolition, renovation,^[24] roadworks, diesel exhausts of the heavy equipments used, emission from the production of building materials,^{[25][26][27][28]} etc.).
• Dusty materials that are not cleaned up or properly covered (e.g., in construction sites, landfills and ceramics production facilities; ashes left from burning).^[29][30][31]
• Metalworking (e.g., welding).^[32]
• Woodworking.^[33][34]
• Glass reprocessing.
• Industries.^[4]
• Agricultural activities (e.g., ploughing and soil tilling).^[35]
• Power plants.^[36]
• Waste incineration.^[37][38]
• Road dust from tyre and road wear^[39] and road dust from unpaved road.^[40]
• Wet cooling towers in cooling systems.
• Various industrial processes such as mining,^[41][42] smelting^[43] and oil refining.^[44]
• Disasters^[45] (both natural or caused by humans, e.g., wildfires, earthquakes, wars,^[46][47] and September 11 attacks, etc.).
• Microplastics (gaining attention as a type of airborne PM).^[48][49]

Human-made (anthropogenic) aerosols account for about 10 percent of the total mass of aerosols in the atmosphere as estimated in 2010. The remaining 90 percent comes from natural sources such as volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation and sea spray, emitting particulates such as volcanic ash, desert dust, soot and sea salt.^[50]

Domestic combustion and wood smoke

In the United Kingdom domestic combustion is the largest single source of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ annually, with domestic wood burning in both closed stoves and open fires responsible for 38% of PM_2.5 in 2019.^[51][52][53] To tackle the problem some new laws were introduced since 2021. In some towns and cities in New South Wales wood smoke may be responsible for 60% of fine particle air pollution in the winter.^[54]

There are a few ways to reduce wood smoke, e.g., buying the right wood heater and maintaining it well,^[55] choosing the right firewood^[56] and burning it the right way.^[57] There are also regulations in some countries where people can report smoke pollution to the local council. ^[58]

Composition

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Particulate_emissions
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