What does the dust consist of in an apartment?

Where does dust come from and what does the apartment consist of? Why is it a constant companion of our lives, because even after a thorough cleaning you can find dust on furniture or on the floor. Is it really impossible to completely get rid of it? A lot of scientists dealt with this issue, so it is thoroughly studied.

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The main sources of dust

Approximately 70% of the dust that settles on Earth is of natural origin, the remaining 30% is human waste.

The soil

The most significant source of dust is soil. Under the influence of wind, it rises to a height and spreads over long distances. Deserts make a special contribution to the creation of earth dust.

Important! From the Sahara Desert, the wind annually raises approximately 200 million tons of dust. Pinkish dust colors the snowy mountains of Central America, with the same shade of rain falls in England and Florida.

Oceans

When the sea swells, tiny droplets arise, which are destroyed by air bubbles rising to the surface of the water. The droplets dry, saturating the air with salts. Most of these crystals rise high into the air and serve as the basis for the condensation of water vapor.

Important! The total mass of dust particles of oceanic origin ranges from 300 million to 10 billion tons per year.

Volcanoes

The third source of dust by its amount is volcanoes.

Interesting fact! On August 26-28, 1883, the volcano Krakatau, which is located in Indonesia, released into the atmosphere during its eruption more than 18 cubic kilometers of small rock particles. Some of them rose to a height of more than 40 kilometers, and after three months was already in Europe.

The largest dust particles come from these natural sources. Even if the volcano is not active, it is able to emit smoke.

Interesting fact! From the Japanese volcano Sakurajima annually goes into the atmosphere of the earth up to 14 million tons of volcanic ash. Sand grains are transported over very long distances and end up in our homes. This is just one of the substances that make up the dust in an apartment..

Combustion products

Forest fires, the burning of coal, oil, wood and other fuels are a significant source of dust that settles on the ground. Dust particles from fires give a bluish haze. Because of it, the sun seems yellow, and the moon - blue.

Interesting fact! After a major forest fire that occurred near New York in 1780, smoke reaching New England caused tarnishing of the sun and coloring in the specific color of the moon. People considered these signs as a sign of the approaching end of the world.

Space

Cosmic dust appears on the surface of the Earth from flying meteorites, comets and other celestial bodies.

Important! For a year, our planet receives about 10-12 tons of such dust.

If you are puzzled by the question of what dust consists of in an apartment, be sure that samples of all these dust particles will no doubt be in your house.

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The composition of the dust in the apartment

Dust settles on bedside tables, tables, cabinets, beds and on the floor. In addition to the elements already listed, the composition of dust in an apartment can also include many other particles. Unfortunately, it is impossible to fully determine the set of substances and clearly answer the question of what dust consists of in an apartment.Of its total mass, approximately 20-25% are components of unknown origin, possibly cosmic dust. 99.9% of the particles are smaller than 1 micron.

Important! In a tightly closed apartment with hermetic windows, about 12 thousand dust particles settle on 1 square centimeter of the floor in two weeks.

The dust in the apartment has approximately the following composition:

• Mineral particles - 35%.
• Scales of human skin - 19%.
• Particles of textile and paper fibers - 12%.
• Flower pollen - 7%.
• Smoke and soot particles - 3%.

Important! Every day, about 50 milliliters of household dust passes through their lungs.

The sources of dust in the apartment are mainly:

• People.
• Pets.
• The dirt brought on shoes and clothes to the house.
• Destroyed materials of the house and its furniture.

Important! Foam furniture begins to collapse rapidly after 10 years of operation. As a result of this process, a large number of substances are released into the air, which settle on furniture and constitute a serious threat to the health of all apartment residents.

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Dust collectors

Dust tends to accumulate on some materials and objects in larger quantities than on others. Such items especially attract her to themselves, and if you do not take care of them more carefully, then they can pose a considerable threat to health.

Among these interior elements can be identified:

• Carpet - this coating is the largest magnet for dust particles and it is most difficult to remove dirt from it.
• Floor and wall carpets.
• Old books and newspapers.
• Stuffed Toys.
• Curtains, tulle and other textile room decor elements.

Interesting fact! In a three-room apartment, about 40 kg of dust accumulates in one year. 1 liter of air has approximately 500,000 dust particles.

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Dust mite

In addition to all kinds of inorganic substances, the composition of the dust in the apartment also includes microorganisms, although they are not visible to the naked eye. They can only be examined under a microscope. Thanks to laboratory tests, dust mites have been discovered and studied.

Interesting fact! At the point above the letter “i”, about three dust mites can fit.

These microorganisms live inside upholstered furniture, mattresses, on bedding, blankets, slippers and other similar places. They feed exclusively on dead cells of human skin.

Important! According to studies, about 2 million dust mites can live on one double bed.

Saprophytes themselves (dust mites in the scientific world are called that way) do not pose a great danger to the human body. To some extent, they can even be considered useful, because they remove dead cells from our skin. Such mites are not able to carry infectious diseases and eggs of other parasites.

But the waste products that each of them emits during its relatively short life can cause significant health problems. Each individual lives for about 4 months. During this time, she manages to lay up to 300 eggs and leave excrement 200 times her own weight.

Important! In half a teaspoon of dust there can be up to 1000 tick-saprophytes and 250 000 of their excrement.

These particles are especially dangerous for the human body, since they do not settle on objects for a long time because of their very low weight, and are in the air that we breathe. This is especially dangerous for people prone to allergies and asthmatics.

Important! The vital products of saprophytes cause 25% of all known types of allergies and 50% of asthmatic diseases.

Dust mites cannot move independently from house to house. Only with the help of wind or shoes do they get to another place.

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Household dust harm

The composition of the dust in the apartment includes particles of different sizes:

1. Most are about 10 microns in size.Such particles quickly settle on furniture and can be easily removed with a damp cloth.
2. But there are smaller particles - less than 5 microns in size, which pose a great danger to human health. Due to their light weight and size, they very slowly settle on objects and very simply enter the body through the respiratory tract.
3. Dust particles of mineral origin are a particular health hazard. The most common source is the materials used to insulate the house. Such elements can significantly impair human immunity and lead to the formation of malignant cancerous tumors.

Important! Scientists have conducted a thorough study of the dust of the rooms where they smoke. The results were amazing, because in the dust particles a chemical element cadmium was found, which is very toxic and dangerous to humans. Therefore, even people who do not have bad habits should avoid a long stay inside such premises.

When settling, dust can get into drinking water and food, which can trigger the development of infectious diseases and pulmonary diseases.

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The beneficial effects of dust

Despite all the negative qualities and dangerous consequences of human interaction with dust, it also has a huge positive effect in the life of our planet:

• Dust particles, being condensation nuclei, take an active part in the formation of clouds. Thus, precipitation falls to the ground. It is safe to say that without dust the land would turn into a desert, and life on it would cease to exist.
• The amount of dust in the atmosphere has a significant effect on the climate.
• Dust particles mitigate the effects of global warming by absorbing some of the solar radiation.

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Useful recommendations for reducing the amount of dust in the apartment

It is impossible to completely get rid of dust, so we advise you to get used to this idea. Each cleaning can remove some of it and ease the air in the room - that's all. But it is also worth knowing that even a little relief has a beneficial effect on the health of residents, so you should deal with dust carefully and regularly.

You can take preventive measures to reduce dust in the apartment:

• Use only safe materials of a modern ecological standard to warm your apartment or house.
• If possible, remove all carpets in the house. Wall-mounted carpets today are not considered a fashionable trend, so you can easily get rid of this dust collector without regret.
• Refuse to buy a carpet. If you already have one, then clean it more thoroughly.
• Try not to buy a large number of soft toys. Already available - wash regularly.
• Replace heavy fabric curtains with blinds or lighter material. It will be easier to clean them from excess dust.
• Try to choose furniture with leather upholstery or a quality substitute. Such a surface will be easier to clean than fabric.
• Humidifiers will greatly help to remove dust particles.
• Change or clean the filter regularly in a vacuum cleaner. Failure to comply with this rule may result in the release of dust absorbed into the unit back into the room air.
• Get home plants. They bind dust particles, so that they quickly settle on objects. The more potted flowers in your apartment, the cleaner the air you breathe.
• The best place to store small figurines and books is a place on shelves behind glass.
• Carefully monitor the state of foam furniture. As soon as you notice defects, you must immediately replace it.
• It is advisable to do wet cleaning every day - this will help to avoid excessive accumulation of dust.

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Stock footage

Even such small objects as dust particles can cause great resonance in the scientific world, and invisible trace elements can cause great harm to our health. But we need these particles on the planet for natural balance and preservation of life.Everything is necessary in moderation. If this measure with respect to dust is respected, then human health will be strong, and the condition of the Earth in the environmental sense is better.