How harmful is dust to humans? Dust damage

Nekrasov Denis

House dust is one of the most common causes of allergic reactions, which over time can lead to the development of a full-fledged allergic disease, such as bronchial asthma.

Most components of house dust are potential allergens. We have known for a long time that house dust can cause allergic reactions in some people, but only about twenty years ago it became known that allergies are caused not by the dust itself, but by microscopic mites living in it.

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Municipal budgetary educational institution

"Gymnasium No. 3"

District competition of research and creative works

"Children of Altai explore the environment"

DUST AND ITS EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH

Nekrasov Denis

Student 9 "A" class

MBOU "Gymnasium No. 3"

Supervisor:

Kudryavtseva

Elena Alexandrova,

Biology teacher

Rubtsovsk

2013

I. Introduction page 3

II. Main part

1. Theoretical

1.1. Skin Eaters page 5

1.2. Composition of house dust page 7

1.3. Clean air is the key to health p. 7

1.4. Impact of dirty air on humans page 9

1.5.The problem of allergies and asthma p.10

2. Research part

2.1. House dust deposition rate p.13

2.2. What is contained and lives in house dust page 13

2.3. Let's look into the world of dust p.13

III. Conclusion p.15

V. References p.17

Introduction

House dust is one of the most common causes of allergic reactions, which over time can lead to the development of a full-fledged allergic disease, such as bronchial asthma. Of course, dust contains many allergens, but one of the most significant is house dust mites.

Every year as usual three-room apartment up to 40 kilograms of dust is formed. Considering that a person daily inhales about 12 thousand liters of air, one liter of which contains up to 500 thousand dust particles, the amount of dust entering our respiratory tract is simply enormous.
As is known, house dust may contain various components. For example, particles of sand and organic fats, skin and fur of pets, particles of your own hair and epidermis, as well as plant pollen and mold.
Most components of house dust are potential allergens. We have known for a long time that house dust can cause allergic reactions in some people, but only about twenty years ago it became known that allergies are caused not by the dust itself, but by microscopic mites living in it.

That is, the main cause of allergies caused by house dust are dust mites or dermatophagoids (skin eaters).

How does dust affect human health?I will have to answer this question after conducting research. After all, studying the influence of various external factors on our health is very important for modern science.

My goal: study house dust and its effect on the human body.

Tasks: 1) studying material on this topic;

2) study of allergic diseases associated with dust;

3) conduct research on the composition of house dust;

Hypothesis: If you examine house dust, you can find living organisms there.

Subject of study: house dust

Object of study:human health

Research methods:

1. studying theoretical material on the topic;
2. analysis;
3. practical work.

Relevance of the work:dust is a mysterious thing. No matter how much you remove it, it still accumulates.

Main part

1. Skin Eaters

These tiny (250 - 300 microns in length) insects live in your apartment without permission and use all the amenities. It is estimated that there are about two million in the average double bed. The most favorable conditions for the life of ticks are a temperature of 20-30 C and a humidity of 70-80%. Therefore, your bed becomes their main habitat. They do not cause harm, although these mites secrete up to 20 microscopic peas per day and cause allergies in some people.
Dust mites' favorite food is dead skin cells. Over the course of a year, a person loses up to 2 kilograms of dead epidermis, which mostly remains on the bed. The tick eats particles of the epidermis, processing them into feces in a volume 200 times greater than its own weight.

These waste products (about 30 microns in diameter), containing the P1 antigen, are the cause of allergic reactions. Due to their light weight and tiny size, tick excrement easily rises into the air and enters our respiratory tract, thereby contributing to sensitization of the immune system or the occurrence of allergic reactions.
Allergic reactions to house dust and mite waste products most often manifest themselves in the form of attacks of bronchial asthma or rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa), and less often - inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes. Allergy symptoms can appear throughout the year, but more often in autumn and winter when air humidity is highest.
Over the course of thousands of years of living together, ticks have become very attached to us, and it is very difficult to get rid of them. The only things that are harmful to them are probably ozone-enriched air, ultraviolet radiation and the natural level of air ionization. However, by keeping your home clean and low-humidity every day and frequently changing bedding, you can also reduce the risk of allergic reactions to house dust.

The body of a sleeping person is able to warm the bed up to 20-30 ABOUT C and additionally create humidity - ideal conditions for the vital activity of mites, as well as mold, with which they live in symbiosis and which they feed. One gram of mattress dust can contain between 2,000 and 15,000 dust mites.

To date, over 150 species have been found in the dust of apartments. These mites can be divided into three groups.

• To the first group These include mites that feed and reproduce in house dust. This group includes, first of all, pyroglyphid mites (family Pyroglyphidae) Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D.farinae and some other species that feed primarily on desquamated scales of the human epidermis and the microflora developing on them. This group also includes mites of the granary-grain complex of the families Acaridae and Glycyphagidae, which live mainly in those places in the apartment where food is stored: cereals, flour, vegetables, etc.

These mites feed mainly on human foods and molds. It has long been known that some of the barn mites cause occupational allergic diseases in agricultural workers and people associated with contaminated grain, products, etc. Acarus siro and Tyrophagus putrscentiae cause dermatitis in bakers; Glycyphagus domesticus – from grocers; Tyrolichus casei - “cheese” dermatosis. However, currently, allergies to these mites are becoming a problem in the modern city.

• To the second groupinclude predatory mites, whose food is mites of the first group. These are cheyletid mites (family Cheyletidae), some gamasid mites (Gamasina cohort) and some others.

• To the third groupThese include mites that accidentally fall into house dust, where they cannot reproduce. It is still generally accepted that mites from this group are not related to the development of allergic diseases.

1.2 Composition of house dust

House dust contains many components, but scientists cannot yet list them all. Doctors, speaking about asthma or other allergic diseases, tend to blame house dust in general for their occurrence, without identifying specific irritants and causative agents of these diseases.

So, one of the components of house dust is called salt, the same one that is found in the seas and oceans. Scientists believe that the waves that so picturesquely hit the rocks become light particles of salt, and billions of such particles are formed. The wind carries them all over the Earth, and some of them end up in our houses and apartments.

Another component of house dust is considered to be volcanic dust, consisting of microscopic rock particles that are also carried across the planet by wind. A major source of volcanic dust is the Japanese volcano Sakurajima on the island of Kyushu. Its last major eruption took place on May 12, 2012. The volcano is constantly smoking, annually releasing about 14 million tons of dust into the atmosphere. The nearby city of Kagoshima is considered the dustiest city in the world, its streets are always covered in dust and ash.
An important source of dust for everything globe- Sahara Desert. Rain with pinkish dust, blown by wind from the Sahara, falls in both England and Florida. Dust from the Sahara colors the snow on the mountains Central America. The wind annually raises from 60 to 200 million tons of dust in this largest desert in the world.

The most interesting component is stardust falling onto the surface of our planet from space: dust from distant planets, comets and asteroids. There is not much such dust - about 10 tons every year, but if you consider that it has been falling on our planet for millions of years, the picture becomes completely different.

Samples of all these types of dust are available in any apartment.

House dust is a strong allergen, or rather a whole group of allergens. It also contains animal and human dander, cotton and flax fibers, mold fungi, cotton wool, fluff, insects, their remains and secretions, as well as many other components.

The best way to reduce dust in an apartment is a draft.

1.3 Clean air is the key to health.

Humanity has not yet invented the “Elixir of Life”. Doctors' recommendations boil down mainly to maintaining the ecology of the habitat: food, water, air. A person consumes about 3 kilograms of water and food per day, but more than 20 kilograms of air. According to various estimates, inhaled air accounts for at least half of the pollution we receive. So what do we breathe? And what, if you dream, should you breathe?

Everyone knows the extraordinary feeling of “lightness” of breathing on a sunny morning in the forest: what we call “fresh” air. Scientific research confirm that sensations do not deceive us. The air that we call fresh is also the most beneficial for health, complete. How does the air of our apartments, institutions and city streets differ from it?

First of all, the presence of industrial and household contaminants in it. What is the air like on city streets? It is heavily "diluted" by emissions industrial enterprises, exhaust gases from cars, other equipment and simply dust, containing almost all elements of the periodic table in the form of various chemical compounds; some of them are still active.

Thus, when opening a window, instead of clean air, we get a flow of a kind of “cocktail” that mixes with house dust in the room.

Dust is continuously formed during the aging and destruction of household fabric items (mattresses, pillows, upholstered furniture, carpets, curtains, soft children's toys and much more). Fabric fibers change their chemical structure during the aging process and, as a result, become allergens.

Allergens are also dander and animal hair, and the presence of these components in the dust is guaranteed if four-legged friends live under the same roof with you. Particles of glue from book bindings are also not harmless, cardboard boxes and furniture. Modern furniture It also releases formaldehyde. Add here bacterial and viral contamination, sometimes also tobacco smoke and kitchen child, and get a fairly complete picture.

According to environmentalists, indoor air is 4-6 times “dirtier” and 8-10 times more toxic than outdoor air. Impressive?

Wet cleaning and wiping bring only temporary relief, and this is natural, since the process of dust formation is continuous. Moreover, dust particles smaller than 10 microns practically do not settle, even in still air, and wet cleaning is powerless against them. But the smaller the dust particles, the “deeper” they penetrate into the lungs. You can fight dust only by continuously absorbing new dust. And it’s better not to do it lightly. But is it enough to just clean the air of the room from household and industrial pollution, i.e. take it into account only chemical composition? This problem has long been successfully solved by simple filtering. However, even at the stage of mass introduction of air conditioners, doctors were faced with an incomprehensible phenomenon. People who spent the whole day in air-conditioned, i.e. filtered air, complained about headache, fatigue, drowsiness.

Most of us, spending up to 90% of our time indoors (office, apartment, transport), almost completely deprive ourselves of negative oxygen ions, since the air of a closed room in which at least one person is located gradually acquires a positive charge. That’s why we call the air “stale” even when there is enough oxygen (electrically neutral) in it.

1.4 Impact of dirty air on humans.

In addition to pollution, the air in its physical composition does not correspond to that for which Nature created man. For normal functioning In our body, the air we breathe must necessarily contain light air ions (both negatively and positively charged), and in a strictly defined ratio.

Violation of this balance in any direction (both towards the positive polarity and towards the negative) is very unfavorable for our life and directly affects our well-being and health. Moreover, negatively charged air ions, according to modern scientific data, are necessary for humans just like vitamins in food.

1.5 The problem of allergies and asthma

Currently, about 200 million people worldwide suffer from bronchial asthma, and 12 percent of the world's population suffers from hay fever.

Here are the statistics:

- every 10 people on Earth suffer from allergies
- annually 35-40 million people join the “army of allergy sufferers”
- 45 - 85% of all allergic diseases are household allergies
- up to 3% of children in Russia suffer from bronchial asthma
- asthma “gets younger” - it occurs even in children in the first months of life
- 6 - 7% of cases of bronchial asthma lead to death

“The incidence of bronchial asthma is growing rapidly, it covers all continents, and there is not a single society today that could say that they do not have it. This is actually a very pressing problem for Russia,” noted Alexander Chuchalin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Director of the Federal State Institution Research Institute of Pulmonology of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.According to the Federal State Budgetary Institution Central Research Institute of Health Organization and Information, bronchial asthma affects from 0.5 to 3% of the entire child population in Russia.

Study: There are 1016 students in my gymnasium, of which, according to my data, 7 people have bronchial asthma (0.6%). In the Municipal Institution "Children's City Hospital" polyclinic No. 1 at the 3rd site according to pediatrician V.N. Klimova. There are currently 781 children being observed, of which 4 are asthmatic (0.5%). In 2009, there were 3 children with asthma in the same area. From these data I can conclude that the number of children with bronchial asthma is gradually increasing.

The main reason for the increase in allergic diseases according to the journal "Healthcare" Russian Federation"is the fact that in Russia only 15 percent of the urban population lives in areas with levels of pollution atmospheric air within the limits of hygienic standards.

Unfavorable environmental conditions lead to an increase in the spread of a number of other diseases in Russia, reducing the level of immunity of the population as a whole.

In the age of scientific and technological progress, the atmosphere of most cities in the country is saturated with organic and inorganic compounds, microorganisms, the concentrations of which exceed the maximum permissible values ​​several times. In this case, the concentration of light air ions is no more than 200 ions/cc, but heavy air ions exceed 65,000 ions/cc.

In rooms where a person spends 90% of his time, the condition air environment even worse. Such an atmosphere gives rise to a number of allergic and respiratory diseases, which leads to a decrease in the labor potential of the population and, consequently, to economic losses.

Clean, ionized air is of particular importance in children's institutions in cities to preserve the health of children and in medical institutions for its use for medicinal purposes.

Many years of research and clinical experiments conducted by domestic and foreign scientists have confirmed the effectiveness of aeroion therapy as a therapeutic and preventive agent that helps improve health and increase human life expectancy.

The therapeutic practice of using light negative ions of atmospheric oxygen and clinical and physiological data indicate that in patients under the influence of dosed aeroionotherapy, the general condition is normalized, sleep improves, blood pressure decreases, fatigue decreases, rest time is reduced, a cheerful neuropsychic tone is created, which promotes faster recovery of working capacity.

It has been proven that light negative air ions increase gas exchange (absorb oxygen, release carbon dioxide), change the rhythm and depth of breathing, reduce its frequency, breathing becomes rhythmic and deep. The beneficial effect of aeroion therapy on the treatment of diseases such as bronchial asthma, the initial stages of hypertension, various vegetative neuroses, insomnia, headaches, acute respiratory infections, skin diseases, etc. is now well known.

According to the latest data, aeroion therapy prevents and treats cancer.

Research part

2.1 Rate of house dust deposition

IN different conditions The rate of house dust deposition may vary depending on how dusty the surrounding air is. The dust was caught on squares of adhesive tape located on the floor of the bedroom along the radiator (1), in the bedroom at a height of 2.2 meters from the floor (2), in the kitchen, at a height of 1.6 meters from the floor (3).

Bedroom floor under radiator

Kitchen at a height of 1.6m from the floor

Bedroom at a height of 2.2m from the floor

Conclusion: Analyzing the graph data, I conclude that large quantity dust and faster it is deposited on the floor in the bedrooms under the radiator (almost 2g/sq.m.)

2.2 What is contained and lives in house dust?

I took dust samples from the window sill, under the radiator and the bed. Samples of all these types of dust are available in any apartment. I placed the resulting dust samples under a microscope.

In these samples it was found: pollen (especially a lot of it was on the windowsill), black hair of a pet (cat), in samples taken from under the bed and under the battery, white and green synthetic fibers were found. There were also some yeasts here.

Conclusion

The great F. Ranevskaya once wittily remarked that dust does not bother anyone if it is not touched. But the trouble is that we touch it all the time. As constantly as it is formed. This is a continuous process: being wiped carpets and furniture upholstery, paint falls off walls and ceilings, dirt is brought in from the street on the soles of shoes, etc. While conducting research on this topic, I studied a lot theoretical material about house dust. Conducted a study of the composition of house dust and studied allergic diseases. And I came to the conclusion that my hypothesis was confirmed:

House dust contains living organisms.

In the process of this scientific - research work I have developed several recommendations for combating bed mites.

1. To combat dust mites, you need to ventilate, iron or warm up bed linen, pillows, mattresses, blankets more often - these arthropods are afraid of both cold and heat, say a temperature of plus 40°C kills them in two days, and a higher temperature much faster.
2 . They are also afraid of direct rays of the sun, and ultraviolet radiation not only kills ticks, but also decomposes the allergens contained in them and their excrement in two hours (these allergens can withstand boiling in water for an hour without disintegrating). If there is a strong infestation, it is necessary to change all pillows and mattresses, preferably with new ones with synthetic filling (feather filling for some types of ticks serves as an additional source of food).

3. Although bed mites do not disperse far from their habitat, in an apartment heavily infested with them, it is advisable to wash the floor with a 10-20% solution of table salt. And once a month, etch house slippers, where they also find shelter, food, and a means of transport to neighboring rooms with formalin vapor or vinegar essence, tying the slippers for a while in a plastic bag with a few drops of liquid at the bottom.

4. Dry cleaning.

5. Do not use thick blankets or products made from animal skin. Replace floors covered with carpets and rugs with linoleum or parquet. If possible, try to reduce the number of dust accumulators: heavy curtains on the windows, do not have pets, etc. Soft pillows should be removed from the children's bedroom.

6. When cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner more often, vacuum mattresses and beds entirely and regularly, while making sure that there is no allergy sufferer nearby.

7. Please note that synthetic materials accumulate less dust, but they also cannot be considered safe, because they often impart an electrical charge to the dust in the surrounding air, as a result of which the dust forms a suspension that does not settle on the floor for a long time. This especially applies to curtains and tulles.

8. You can purify the air by ozonation, conditioning, filtration using technical means. Air conditioning provides optimal parameters air environment (temperature, relative humidity etc.). When ozonizing premises - increasing the concentration of ozone in the air - the number of microorganisms is reduced and mold is destroyed. Air ionizers cleanse it of radon, trap dust, tobacco smoke, allergens, and microorganisms.

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House dust is one of the most common causes of allergic reactions, which over time can lead to the development of a full-fledged allergic disease, such as bronchial asthma. Most components of house dust are potential allergens. We have known for a long time that house dust can cause allergic reactions in some people, but only about twenty years ago it became known that allergies are caused not by the dust itself, but by microscopic mites living in it.

How does dust affect human health? I will have to answer this question after conducting research. After all, studying the influence of various external factors on our health is very important for modern science. My goal: to study house dust and its effect on the human body. Objectives: 1) study material on this topic; 2) study of allergic diseases associated with dust; 3) conduct research on the composition of house dust; 4) develop recommendations for the control of ticks. Hypothesis: if you examine house dust, you can find living organisms there. Subject of research: house dust Object of research: human health Research methods: study of theoretical material on the topic; analysis; practical work. Relevance of the work: dust is a mysterious thing. No matter how much you remove it, it still accumulates.

House dust is a strong allergen, or rather a whole group of allergens.

These tiny (250 - 300 microns in length) insects live in your apartment without permission and use all the amenities. It is estimated that there are about two million in the average double bed. Dust mites' favorite food is dead skin cells. The tick eats particles of the epidermis, processing them into feces in a volume 200 times greater than its own weight.

Statistics: - every 10th inhabitant of the Earth suffers from allergies - every year 35-40 million people join the “army of allergy sufferers” - 45 - 85% of all allergic diseases are household allergies - up to 3% of children in Russia suffer from bronchial asthma - asthma is “getting younger” - it occurs even in children in the first months of life - 6 - 7% of cases of bronchial asthma lead to death

I took dust samples on the windowsill, in the kitchen, under the radiator and the bed.

In different conditions, the rate of house dust deposition may differ, depending on how dusty the surrounding air is. floor in the bedroom under the radiator kitchen at a height of 1.6 m from the floor bedroom at a height of 2.2 m from the floor

Composition of house dust: Flower pollen Cat hair Synthetic fibers Cotton wool Yeast

Purpose of the study: to detect dust mites in ordinary house dust. Equipment and materials: microscope, vacuum cleaner, piece of cloth, thin needle on a wooden handle, strong magnifying glass, test tube, table salt solution, glass vessel with a flat bottom. Having put a piece of cloth on the vacuum cleaner pipe to immediately sift out large debris, I simply vacuumed the mattresses, pillows and blankets, and upholstered furniture. I sifted the collected dust again. We examine the resulting dust under a strong magnifying glass. The size of ticks is 1-2 tenths of a millimeter, that is, at the limit of visibility with the human eye. For the convenience of carrying out the experiment, we will install the magnifying glass on a tripod. Good lighting is necessary.

We pick up the spotted tick (it gave itself away by moving) with a thin needle on a wooden handle and transfer it to a microscope slide in a drop of glycerin. Then we cover the drop with a coverslip and place it under a microscope. The tick's body is covered with a thick chitinous covering, which it apparently sheds when molting. These organisms are classified as arthropods, because. their limbs consist of several parts - segments. Microscopic hairs are barely visible on these small paws. Glycerin brightens the chitinous cover of the tick, so the features of the internal structure of this microscopic arachnid gradually become clearer.

Conclusion: there really is life in ordinary house dust. These are dust mites. Using a microscope, I studied their external structure and vital functions.

Modern methods of combating dust mites - special vacuum cleaners; steam cleaners, air purifiers; ozonation of air in the apartment with anti-mite treatment; anti-allergenic additives for washing clothes.

Conclusion The great F. Ranevskaya once wittily remarked that dust does not bother anyone if it is not touched. But the trouble is that we touch it all the time. As constantly as it is formed. This is a continuous process: carpets and furniture upholstery are wiped, paint is peeling off walls and ceilings, dirt is brought in from the street on the soles of shoes, etc. While conducting research on this topic, I studied a lot of theoretical material about house dust. Conducted a study of the composition of house dust and studied allergic diseases. And I came to the conclusion that my hypothesis was confirmed: There are living organisms in house dust.

Thank you for your attention!

The dust that is constantly around us is very small organic or mineral particles, with a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 mm. Larger sizes are already classified as sand. Dust is present everywhere, even in places that seem to be perfectly clean. When there is a lot of it, under the influence of humidity, it turns into dirt, settling on any surface.

It just so happens that dust and human activity are inseparable. Out of habit, many people don’t pay attention to it. special attention. However, experts have long proven that dust is harmful to the human body. It is a breeding ground for very dangerous microbes. Let's figure out where this scourge comes from and what harm it does to our health?

Where does it come from?

Natural:

Its main source is small particles of soil raised by the wind from the surface of the earth. When dry, they can rise to very high altitudes and are transported for many kilometers. In the atmosphere they mix with the finest cosmic dust, which enters the earth's atmosphere along with the remains of small burnt meteors.

Home:

Scientists have found that every day a person passes approximately 50 milliliters of dust through the respiratory system. Moreover, we inhale it mainly at home. It is residential premises that accumulate it in huge quantities, especially if it is closed space. For example, regular city ​​apartment can accumulate up to 30 kg of dust per year.

Its composition cannot be determined exactly. Its composition always varies depending on the room where it is located. But there are average indicators of dust composition. Let's take a quick look at them:

Mineral, natural particles (35%).
- Very fine fibers of paper, textiles (12%).
- Dead skin flakes of humans and domestic animals (19%).
- Plant pollen (7%).
- Small particles of soot, smoke (3%).
- The remaining amount is particles of natural origin, remains of dead insects, mold spores, fungi, and various microbes.

We all come into contact with dust all the time. It is found everywhere: on clothes, shoes, furniture. On the floor and in the air. Most housewives wage a daily, merciless struggle with it. And they are absolutely right. These ubiquitous particles can make you feel sick and can also cause serious illnesses. Let's consider the harmful effects of dust on the human body:

Dust harms human health

The human body is quite well adapted to various external influences. For example, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract protect us from harmful microbes and bacteria. They clean themselves of foreign particles on their own. However, if a person is not healthy, his immunity is low, this system fails. The ability to self-cleanse is reduced in young children and the elderly. This is when dust can become a very serious problem.

Dust consisting of particles is especially harmful artificial materials- old, foam rubber, various artificial insulation, wallpaper, particles are very harmful old furniture, carpets, rugs. They may contain harmful chemical compounds, pesticides, and lead.

Such dust is infested with microscopic dust mites. They are one of the main causes of allergic reactions and provoke the development of asthma. That’s why allergy sufferers often suffer from dust. A person inhales allergens along with the air. With reduced immunity, a direct path to the development of allergic and infectious diseases opens.

Spores of pathogenic fungi, also inhaled with dust, are very dangerous. Fungi can provoke the development of such dangerous diseases as mycosis and meningitis. The risk of pathological changes in the area of ​​the inner ear and paranasal sinuses increases significantly. Often fungal spores cause diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, Bladder. The bronchi and lungs may be affected.

The settled dust pollutes drinking water, products. In this regard, there is a risk of developing certain infectious and pulmonary diseases. It is not for nothing that in many industries dust becomes the cause of occupational illnesses. For example, lead printing dust and coal dust are very dangerous.

Prevention measures

To prevent the harmful effects of the smallest particles floating in the air, to rid yourself of the pathogenic effects, be sure to maintain the cleanliness of your living space and workplace. Don’t be lazy to wipe furniture with specially designed compounds every day.

To clean carpets, use vacuum cleaners equipped with an aqua filter. This technique most effectively traps dust particles and prevents the spread of bacteria and mites.

Install a purifier at home that filters and disinfects the air. It is very useful to keep a humidifier at home that prevents dust from spreading in the air. The moistened dust settles on the floor, from where it can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner. Don't forget to ventilate the room more often. Be healthy!

You can see dust anywhere. And it is simply impossible to get rid of it, no matter what measures are taken to achieve this. You can only reduce its quantity and then it will not cause any harm to health.

What is dust made of?

Why is dust dangerous?

For any person, inhaled dust only causes harm to health. But if there are also, in addition to everything, any accompanying hereditary factors, then the situation becomes doubly complicated.

Once in the human body, the microorganisms that make up the dust penetrate inside and continue their life activity there. As a result of this, the person’s immunity suffers and is unable to fully cope with the problem that has arisen. As a result, the body becomes weakened, which makes it vulnerable to various allergens. Allergic manifestations occur, concomitant diseases worsen, and new ones are formed.

Basically, dust provokes the following diseases: bronchial asthma and other allergies, as well as pancreas, lungs, heart and joints. And this is not the entire list possible diseases which can cause dust. Against the background of one disease, another may arise, and the most weakened organ in the body suffers. Oddly enough, the harmful effects of dust are actually much greater than we think.

How to deal with it?

You can’t hide from dust anywhere and you can’t remove it forever by any means. She was, is and will be. But, if you regularly wet cleaning, vacuum (or better yet, remove) carpets, replace all down and feather pillows hypoallergenic, ventilate in the sun or hang in the cold bed dress, you can significantly reduce the negative impact of dust and everything associated with it on the human body.

Nowadays, the problem of interaction between man, technology and nature is particularly acute. A person has amazing ability maintain consistency in your body thanks to its enormous compensatory capabilities. It seems that he can adapt to sudden changes without limit. external environment without danger to yourself. However, the body's reserves are not unlimited and are depleted under excessive influence of harmful factors. This largely applies to the dust we inhale. Let's consider what dust damage.

Even the most chemically inert dust particles, by their mere presence in the lungs, cause some harm. The body has a whole range of protective mechanisms that help remove dust from the lungs.

Inhaled air containing dust, is warmed, moistened in the upper respiratory tract and enters the trachea and bronchi. Some of the large dust particles encounter the walls of the bronchi and settle on them due to their gravity. The bronchi are lined inside with a covering of cells (ciliated epithelium), in which there are special glands that secrete mucus. Dust particles that are foreign body, are enveloped in mucus and, with the help of ciliated epithelium, are carried upward, and then brought out when coughing and sneezing. But the harm of dust is even more dangerous!

Smaller dust particles (less than 10 microns in diameter) penetrate deeper into the lungs, reaching the alveoli - the respiratory cells that perform the function of gas exchange. Alveolar cells absorb (phagocytose) dust. Dust-laden phagocytes move upward and are excreted in sputum.

All of these mechanisms contribute clearing the lungs of dust, protect them from harmful effects. Further ingress of dust reduces the compensatory protective forces. Long-term inhalation of dust weakens the barrier function of the upper respiratory tract and bronchi, and develops dryness of their internal “lining.” Foreign particles are not removed outside, but settle in the lungs. In this case, the dust is not at all harmless. In some cases, in response to foreign particles, too much mucus is released, which “floods” the ciliated epithelium, preventing it from expelling dust. Other mechanisms are also activated that contribute to the aggravating effect of dust. The bronchi contract excessively (spasm). This, in turn, leads to stretching and rupture of the alveoli, through the septum of which the oxygen of the inhaled air is exchanged with the blood. Developing emphysema. It looks like lungs inflated with air. This air does not participate in gas exchange (it is “non-functioning”). As a result, the contact surface between blood and oxygen in the inhaled air decreases, which leads to oxygen starvation of body tissues, involving other mechanisms of the pathological process. This is the harm of the dust that we inhale every day.

This is the general diagram of the development of a pathological process in the lungs. It does not follow from this that any short-term, short-term inhalation of small amounts of dust leads to illness. We are talking about an increased “dust” load. Dust diseases occupy a fairly significant percentage of all diseases. They occur mainly in people who have been in an atmosphere of significant dust for a long time. And although the symptoms of a “dusty” lung have been known for a long time, interest in this pathology began to appear with late XIX centuries. This is due to the intensive development of industry and mining.

As you can see, the damage from dust is quite serious, so it is necessary to minimize the impact of the saw on your body.

Dust diseases are represented by and.

The dust that is constantly around us is very small organic or mineral particles, with a diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 mm. Larger sizes are already classified as sand. Dust is present everywhere, even in places that seem to be perfectly clean. When there is a lot of it, under the influence of humidity, it turns into dirt, settling on any surface.

It just so happens that dust and human activity are inseparable. Out of habit, many people do not pay much attention to it. However, experts have long proven that dust is harmful to humans. It is a breeding ground for very dangerous microbes. Let's figure out where this scourge comes from and what harm it does to our health?

Where does it come from?

Natural:

Its main source is small particles of soil raised by the wind from the surface of the earth. When dry, they can rise to very high altitudes and are transported for many kilometers. In the atmosphere they mix with the finest cosmic dust, which enters the earth's atmosphere along with the remains of small burnt meteors.

Home:

Scientists have found that every day a person passes approximately 50 milliliters of dust through the respiratory system. Moreover, we inhale it mainly at home. It is residential premises that accumulate it in huge quantities, especially if it is a confined space. For example, an ordinary city apartment can accumulate up to 30 kg of dust per year.

Its composition cannot be determined exactly. Its composition always varies depending on the room where it is located. But there are average indicators of dust composition. Let's take a quick look at them:

Mineral, natural particles (35%).
- Very fine fibers of paper, textiles (12%).
- Dead skin flakes of humans and domestic animals (19%).
- Plant pollen (7%).
- Small particles of soot, smoke (3%).
- The remaining amount is particles of natural origin, remains of dead insects, mold spores, fungi, and various microbes.

We all come into contact with dust all the time. It is found everywhere: on clothes, shoes, furniture. On the floor and in the air. Most housewives wage a daily, merciless struggle with it. And they are absolutely right. These ubiquitous particles can make you feel sick and can also cause serious illnesses. Let's consider the harmful effects of dust on humans:

Dust harms human health

Humans are quite well adapted to various external influences. For example, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract protect us from harmful microbes and bacteria. They clean themselves of foreign particles on their own. However, if a person is not healthy, his immunity is low, this system fails. The ability to self-cleanse is reduced in young children and the elderly. This is when dust can become a very serious problem.

Particularly harmful is dust consisting of particles of artificial materials - old, foam rubber, various artificial insulation materials, wallpaper. Particles of old furniture, carpets, rugs are very harmful. They may contain harmful chemical compounds, pesticides, and lead.

Such dust is infested with microscopic dust mites. They are one of the main causes of allergic reactions and provoke the development of asthma. That’s why allergy sufferers often suffer from dust. A person inhales allergens along with the air. With reduced immunity, a direct path to the development of allergic and infectious diseases opens.

Spores of pathogenic fungi, also inhaled with dust, are very dangerous. Fungi can provoke the development of such dangerous diseases as mycosis and meningitis. The risk of pathological changes in the area of ​​the inner ear and paranasal sinuses increases significantly. Often, fungal spores cause diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, and bladder. The bronchi and lungs may be affected.

The settled dust contaminates drinking water and food. In this regard, there is a risk of developing certain infectious and pulmonary diseases. It is not for nothing that in many industries dust becomes the cause of occupational illnesses. For example, lead printing dust and coal dust are very dangerous.

Prevention measures

To prevent the harmful effects of the smallest particles floating in the air, to rid yourself of the pathogenic effects, be sure to maintain the cleanliness of your living space and workplace. Don’t be lazy to wipe furniture with specially designed compounds every day.

To clean carpets, use vacuum cleaners equipped with an aqua filter. This technique most effectively traps dust particles and prevents the spread of bacteria and mites.

Install a purifier at home that filters and disinfects the air. It is very useful to keep a humidifier at home that prevents dust from spreading in the air. The moistened dust settles on the floor, from where it can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner. Don't forget to ventilate the room more often. Be healthy!