How do particles affect human health?
[Back to Top] When inhaled, particles can be deposited in the airways or deep in the lungs. Once deposited, several things may happen. Particles may be cleared by the body’s natural defense mechanisms, they may accumulate on the surface where they deposit, or they may be absorbed into the underlying tissues. The soluble components of fine particles, along with very small (“ultrafine”) particles, may enter the bloodstream. Some particles may react chemically in the body; others remain in their original form.
