PM10 (Coarse Particulate Matter)
Also known as: PM10
What is PM10?
PM10 includes inhalable particles with diameters that are 10 micrometers and smaller. These particles are about 5 times smaller than the width of a human hair and include dust, pollen, and mold spores.
Sources
Sources include dust from construction sites, landfills and agriculture, wildfires and brush/waste burning, industrial sources, wind-blown dust from open lands, pollen, and fragments of bacteria.
Health Effects
PM10 particles can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, cause coughing and difficult breathing, aggravate asthma, and lead to chronic bronchitis. While less dangerous than PM2.5, these particles can still penetrate the deepest part of the lungs and may even enter the bloodstream.
Protecting Yourself
The most reliable way to reduce your exposure is to monitor the Air Quality Index before spending extended time outdoors. On days when the AQI for PM10 is elevated, consider moving strenuous exercise indoors and keeping windows closed if outdoor air is worse than indoor air.
Sensitive groups — including children, older adults, and people with asthma or heart disease — should take extra precautions at lower AQI thresholds than the general public. High-quality air purifiers with HEPA and activated carbon filters can significantly reduce indoor concentrations. You can track current PM10 levels for any US city using the search on this site, which pulls directly from EPA AirNow monitoring stations.
EPA Standard
Annual average standard set by the EPA to protect public health.
AQI Scale
US Cities Most Affected by PM10
Cities with the most days where PM10 was the primary pollutant driving AQI.