Particle Pollution

Particle pollution is one of the most significant health risks facing our planet. Even if you are healthy, you may experience temporary symptoms such as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; phlegm, chest tightness; and shortness of breath.

Particle pollution is airborne particles that you can’t see with your eyes; it’s the main ingredient of haze and it’s divided into two categories. The fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, has a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometer, representing 1/20 of a hair's diameter. A second category is PM10, referring to particles between 2.5 and 10 micrometers.

These particles present serious year round air quality problems in the United States and the world; they can cause a number of severe health problems. It settles deep into the lungs, blocking reproduction of human cells, causing respiratory diseases and even death.

This pollution, also known as particulate matter, is made up of a number of components, including airborne dust, soot, small bits of metals from catalytic converters, brake linings and tire wear, nitrogen dioxide and benzene, acids (such as nitrates and sulfates) organic chemicals, soil, and more.

Asthma affects more kids than ever before. A doctor at The Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., Mr. Jay Portnoy may be finding an explanation for why asthma cases are increasing rapidly around the world.

Mr. Portnoy, the Chief of Allergy and Asthma at the hospital, takes daily samples of Kansas City's air. Mixed among the pollen grains, mold spores and particles of sand he counts under a microscope are ragged black specks. Like most scientists who study air samples, Mr. Portnoy had assumed these were just bits of soot. Now there is strong evidence that these specks are something far more menacing -- tiny fragments of rubber from tires, created by the wear and tear of ordinary driving.

Researchers say tires, principally radials, spew billions of these particles into the atmosphere every day. That is alarming because latex, the key ingredient of rubber, can trigger severe, even fatal, allergic reactions and aggravate allergic reactions to other substances.

Inhaling small particles containing zinc produces inflammation in the lungs. Lung damage has been documented in animal studies at levels lower than OSHA and EPA standards. Asthmatics would be at particular risk from zinc exposure. There is also evidence of fetal damage from Zinc exposure.

Many of these airborne particles are so small they can be inhaled deeply into lungs. That makes them a potential threat to people susceptible to asthma. “Radial tires are great, but if they're making us sick, we'd better do something about it," Mr. Portnoy said. "It's a concern, because asthma is an epidemic and it's getting worse."