AI Assisted: Interesting concepts series

Carbon Particulates

The Impact of Carbon Particulates on Air Pollution

It’s no secret that air pollution is a huge problem. In cities all over the world, citizens are breathing in polluted air on a daily basis. But what exactly is in the air? One of the most dangerous elements of air pollution are carbon particulates: tiny particles released into the air from burning fossil fuels. Let’s take a closer look at how carbon particulates affect our environment and health.

What Are Carbon Particulates?
Carbon particulates are tiny particles formed when fuel like gasoline, diesel, coal, and wood burn. These particles range from 0.01 to 10 micrometers in size (that’s about 1/30th to 1/7000th of an inch!). They can be made up of soot, nitrates, sulfates, metals, and organic chemicals. So why should we be concerned about them? For one thing, they make up a significant portion of the world’s air pollution — up to 90% in some places!

The Health Risks Associated with Carbon Particulates
The tiny size of carbon particulates makes them particularly dangerous because they can easily enter our bloodstream through our lungs when we breathe them in. Once inside our bodies, they can cause serious damage to our lungs and hearts and even increase our risk for cancer over time. In…