Are dust and particulate matter the same thing?
The air quality regulations do not use the familiar term ‘dust’ except in the title of Chapter 32; instead the term ‘particulate matter’ is used. While the terms are very similar, their definitions differ slightly. Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary (1994) defines dust as “fine, dry particles of matter.” The air quality regulations use a more specific definition to define particulate matter. Title 129, Chapter 1, Section 066 defines particulate matter as “any airborne finely divided solid or liquid material with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 100 micrometers (microns).” Although dust and particulate matter are used interchangeably, the definition in Title 129 is used when implementing and enforcing the air quality regulations. .
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- Are dust and particulate matter the same thing?
