Chapter 11 Health effects

There are beneficial as well as harmful aerosols. According to their nature, harmful particles can be classified into three categories: chemically toxic, infectious, and radioactive. In general, there is a relationship between the response and the dose received. A biochemically active particle may contain only a small amount of active agents. In this respect, an inhaled particle simply acts as a carrier that facilitates delivery of deleterious or beneficial components to specific surface areas of lung airways. In view of the tortuous narrow passageways and sharp turns they have to go through, aerosol particles are an effective carrier. As an indication of their effectiveness, about one half of all 3-m particles inhaled through the mouth deposit in the alveolar region.