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Photograph of  dust mite fecal pellets & Pen/Asp spore chains (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.comTable of Indoor Air Particle Sizes & Types
What are the sizes of typical airborne particles that may be allergenic or toxic or may carry microorganisms?

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about particles found in indoor air and dust - ranges of airborne particle sizes and their related health risks

Here we provide a reference table of airborne & dust particle sizes for different particle types.

We include a second table describing typical airborne particle settlement rate or time as a function of particle size.

The page top photograph shows large mite fecal pellets surrounded by Pen/Asp mold spores that are themselves probably in the 1u size range. Those spore chains tell us that there is or has been active mold growth nearby.

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Table of Common Indoor Airborne Particle Sizes

Airborne Particle Contaminant Size

Approximate Particle Size

u = Microns

0.001 0.01 0.1 0.3 1.0 10 100 1000
Smog: 0.001 - 1u        
  House Dust: 0.008 - 10u      
  Wood Smoke, Wildfire Soot, Tobacco Smoke: 0.01 - 5u        
  Cooking Grease & Smoke: 0.01 - 1u      
    Viruses: 0.004 0 0.2u        
    Bacteria: 0.1 - 10u      
      Pollen Grains: 2.5 - 100u    
        Animal Dander: 0.5 - 10u      
        Skin Flakes: 1 - 10u      
          Dust Mite Fecals: 3-4 x10-25u to 150u+      
        Yeast cells: 1 - 30 u      
        Mold Spores: 1 - 40u      
        Fly Ash: 1 - 75u      
        Coal Dust: 1 - 200u    
            Human Hair: 20-180u    
            Animal Hair: 20 - 500u    
               
Data Below is Approximate Size Range in Microns
0.001 0.01 .1 .3 1 10 100 1000
X-Rays 0.001 - 0.09u Ultraviolet Light 0.09 - 0.9 u Infra-Red Light 1-500u
  Fog: 5-40u Mist 40-200u Rain 200-1000u
Electron microscope: 0.001 - 0.5u Light microscope: 0.25 - 10+u Visible to Human Eye 10u & larger

Notes to the table above

Airborne Particle Settling Rates

Complementing data on airborne particle size, we should consider the variations in typical particle settling time when collecting indoor airborne particle samples.

Airborne Particle Settling Rate

 ...
Particle Size u Average Settling
Time1
100 u 3 seconds
50u 12 seconds
30 u 34 seconds
15u 2.25 minutes
10u 5 minutes
5u 20 minutes
1u 8.5 hours
< 1u Indefinitely suspended

Notes to the table above

  1. Average settling time assumes an 8 foot ceiling height and no significant air movement from external causes
  2. Watch out: Notice that this research only reflects particle size, not particle mass or weight.
  3. Watch out: Any active or passive indoor particle sampling method will see results that are affected by surrounding conditions such as indoor air movements and possibly more subtle conditions such activity of building occupants and even temperature and humidity that may affect indoor convection currents. Of these, turning fans on and off can dominate air movement and can make enormous differences in the collection of airborne particles.

    I [DF] have found significant differences in the number as well as mix of airborne particles collected when using an air sampling machine depending on whether or not the room where sampling is being done is occupied or not and especially depending on whether or not building HVAC equipment or fans are turned on and off.

    Naturally, the total particle concentration in the test area will also be an important factor (Whyte 2016).

    Those details are at AIRBORNE PARTICLE COUNT VARIATION CAUSES

    Supporting research and research also in particle settling velocity are included here.
  4. Condie, Scott A., and Myriam Bormans. "The influence of density stratification on particle settling, dispersion and population growth." Journal of Theoretical Biology 187, no. 1 (1997): 65-75.
  5. Drube, L., K. Leer, W. Goetz, H. P. Gunnlaugsson, M. P. Haspang, N. Lauritsen, M. B. Madsen et al. "Magnetic and optical properties of airborne dust and settling rates of dust at the Phoenix landing site." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 115, no. E5 (2010).
  6. Beller, Lorin D. HEPA FILTRATION and its EFFECTS on INDOOR AIR QUALITY and PRODUCTIVITY in the WORKPLACE (1992). MS Thesis,
  7. Montoya, Lupita D., and Lynn M. Hildemann. "Size distributions and height variations of airborne particulate matter and cat allergen indoors immediately following dust-disturbing activities." Journal of aerosol science 36, no. 5-6 (2005): 735-749.
  8. Murakami, S., S. Kato, S. Nagano, and Y. J. A. T. Tanaka. Diffusion characteristics of airborne particles with gravitational settling in a convection-dominant indoor flow field [PDF] (1992).

    Abstract excerpt: Particle diffusion with gravitational sedimentation has been investigated. The property of particle diffusion becomes complicated with the increase of particle size because of the effect of gravitational sedimentation.
  9. Noble, W. C., O. M. Lidwell, and D. Kingston. "The size distribution of airborne particles carrying micro-organisms." Epidemiology & Infection 61, no. 4 (1963): 385-391.
  10. Rutala, William A., Suzanne M. Jones, John M. Worthington, Parker C. Reist, and David J. Weber. "Efficacy of portable filtration units in reducing aerosolized particles in the size range of Mycobacterium tuberculosis." Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 16, no. 7 (1995): 391-398.
  11. Tan, Huiyi, Keng Yinn Wong, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman, Hong Yee Kek, Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma, Wai Shin Ho, Haslenda Hashim et al. "Why do ventilation strategies matter in controlling infectious airborne particles? A comprehensive numerical analysis in isolation ward." Building and Environment 231 (2023): 110048.
  12. Warburton, C. J., R. M. Niven, C. A. Pickering, A. M. Fletcher, J. Hepworth, and H. C. Francis. "Domiciliary air filtration units, symptoms and lung function in atopic asthmatics." Respiratory medicine 88, no. 10 (1994): 771-776.
  13. Whyte, W., and M. Derks. "Airborne particle deposition in cleanrooms: Relationship between deposition rate and airborne concentration." Clean Air and Containment Review 25 (2016): 4-10.
  14. Whyte, W., and M. Hejab. "Particle and microbial airborne dispersion from people." European Journal of Parenteral and Pharmaceutical Sciences 12, no. 2 (2007): 39-46.
  15. Source: National Safety Associates, Inc., AIRBORNE PARTICLE SETTLEMENT STUDY [PDF] Memphis TN, #855100, September 1989, where the test method employed was a Dual Laser Particle Counter Filter Test System, Model No. NSA 7000 HF, S/N 1 & 2, at 85 cfm with an average pressure drop of 0.295 in. H2O. The study counted "upstream" or source particles and "downstream" particles and calculated an average penetration and collection efficiency of the filter. - cited by Warburton (1994) and Rutala (1995) and Beller (1992)


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