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Science 22 November 1974:
Vol. 186. no. 4165, pp. 695 - 699
DOI: 10.1126/science.186.4165.695
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Articles

Urban Aerosol Toxicity: The Influence of Particle Size

David F. S. Natusch 1 and John R. Wallace 1

1 Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

The basic thesis developed herein is that particle size is an extremely important parameter to consider when assessing the potential toxicity of species present in urban aerosols, and that surface adsorption or condensation greatly promotes toxicity. In the majority of cases this means that particles that are less than 1 µ.m in size are of primary importance. Special significance is attached to the organic constitutents of aerosols. Many of these are known or potential carcinogens and most predominate in extremely small particles which become deposited almost exclusively in the lung.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Surface predominance of trace elements in airborne particles.
R. Linton, A Loh, D. Natusch, C. Evans Jr, and P Williams (1976)
Science 191, 852-854
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)