Health effects of particulate matter emissions depend on the size of the particles.
The larger fine dust particles caused by cars settle less well in the body than the very small fine dust particles from laser printers.
The smaller the particles, the more frequently health impairments of the entire organ system are observed.
The ultra-fine dusts belong to the highly carcinogenic particles and are therefore particularly harmful.
According to studies, particles from an average size of less than 10 micrometres can worsen lung function, particles below a size of 2.5 micrometres can already trigger systemic disease effects such as tumours or cardiovascular weakness.
The following figure shows possible health effects depending on the dust size.
