Particulate Matter
PMPM2.5PM10
Microscopic solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in air, including dust, soot, and smoke. PM2.5 (fine particles) is small enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs.
Related terms
Criteria Pollutants The six common air pollutants regulated under NAAQS: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Diesel Particulate Matter The fine soot expelled from diesel-burning engines (trucks, buses, ships, generators). Classified as a likely human carcinogen and a major contributor to pollution near highways and ports. Asthma Rate The percentage of a population diagnosed with asthma. Frequently used as a public-health indicator of air-pollution exposure, since particulate matter and ozone trigger attacks.