What is Air Particulate Testing?
Particulate testing can be defined as a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. What is particle pollution: Particle pollution is made up of many components, including acids, organic chemicals metals and soil or dust particles. If you are concerned about particulate matter, you should have a qualified professional perform air particulate testing in your home or building a qualified professional.
The Clean Air Act, written by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sets the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six criteria pollutants, including particle pollution. As one of the United States’ first and most influential modern environmental statutes, it is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in accordance with state, local and tribal governments. The Clean Air Act Extension of 1970 expanded the federal mandate by requiring federal and state regulations for both industrial mobile sources.
In 1997, the EPA increased the NAAQS standards regarding permissible levels of the ground-level ozone that make up smog and the fine airborne particulate matter that makes up soot.
What are some of the health risks associated with particle pollution?
There are a number of health risks associated with particle pollution. Some of the health risks associated with particulate matter (PM) pollution include:
- Premature death in people with heart or lung disease,
- Nonfatal heart attacks,
- Irregular heartbeat,
- Aggravated asthma
- Decreased lung function, and
- Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.
Who is at risk from particles?
People who stand the greatest chance for health risks associated with particles are with heart or lung disease, older adults and children, especially when they are physically active. Exercise and physical activity cause people to breathe faster and more deeply – taking more particles into their lungs.
Older adults are generally at risk because they may have undiagnosed heart or lung disease or diabetes. Many studies show that when particle levels are high, older adults are more likely to be hospitalized, and some may die of aggravated heart or lung disease.
Children are also at risk for several reasons:
- Their lungs are still developing,
- They spend more time at high activity levels, and
- They are more likely to have asthma or acute respiratory diseases, which can be aggravated when particle levels are high.
It’s important to have particulate testing conducted by a qualified air particular testing company, to make sure your building is EPA-compliant and that your family/employees are protected against the potentially harmful health risks associated with air particulate pollution. Contact Rarefied Air Environmental today for a free quote!