Indoor Ecosystems
Indoor Dust Sources
Dust is composed of particles from many different sources, some of which originate inside the home and others that are brought in from outside.
Dust Breakdown
The dust inside our homes contains a variety of factors:
- allergens
- micro plastics
- microbes
- chemicals
- metals
- organisms
All of these combine to form the indoor ecosystem.
Learn More Here
Metals
Strong correlations between metal contamination of outdoor environments and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has recently been reported. High metal concentrations can be dangerous additions to the home.
Microbes
These microorganisms are mostly bacteria and fungi. Some come from outside, but others originate inside the home.
Allergens
Allergens in dust particles and can penetrate deep into the lung, making asthma and other allergies worse.
Organisms
Some organisms like ticks or termites are clearly visible. But others like dust mites and lice are far more difficult to discern at a glance.
Micro Plastics
These are small plastics, less that 5mm in length, that are present in cosmetics, synthetic clothing, plastics bags, and bottles, to name a few.
Chemicals
Hundreds of chemicals can be contained in dust, including carcinogenic chemicals, endocrine active chemicals, and pesticides.
Dust Breakdown
The dust inside our homes contains a variety of factors:
- allergens
- micro plastics
- microbes
- chemicals
- metals
- organisms
All of these combine to form the indoor ecosystem.
Metals
Strong correlations between metal contamination of outdoor environments and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has recently been reported. High metal concentrations can be dangerous additions to the home.
Microbes
These microorganisms are mostly bacteria and fungi. Some come from outside, but others originate inside the home.
Allergens
Allergens in dust particles and can penetrate deep into the lung, making asthma and other allergies worse.
Organisms
Some organisms like ticks or termites are clearly visible. But others like dust mites and lice are far more difficult to discern at a glance.
Micro Plastics
These are small plastics, less that 5mm in length, that are present in cosmetics, synthetic clothing, plastics bags, and bottles, to name a few.
Chemicals
Hundreds of chemicals can be contained in dust, including carcinogenic chemicals, endocrine active chemicals, and pesticides.
Learn More Here
Looking Deeper at Household Dust
Some bacterial pathogens in household dust are unaffected by pharmaceutical drugs, due to the presence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) genes. The prevalence of these genes is a growing concern, reducing the reliability of antibiotic treatments.
Learn More Here