| Library / English Dictionary |
PARTICULATE MATTER
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A small discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions (usually considered to be an atmospheric pollutant)
Synonyms:
particulate; particulate matter
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("particulate matter" is a kind of...):
material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "particulate matter"):
dust (fine powdery material such as dry earth or pollen that can be blown about in the air)
Context examples:
Couples with higher exposure to ozone were 12 percent more likely to experience an early pregnancy loss, whereas couples exposed to particulate matter (link is external) (small particles and droplets in the air) were 13 percent more likely to experience a loss.
(Air pollution exposure in early pregnancy linked to miscarriage, National Institutes of Health)
The researchers overlaid a grid of one-degree-square segments onto a map of the region and analyzed the recorded levels of surface ozone, amounts of fine particulate matter (pollution) and maximum temperatures between April and September for each roughly 69-by-69-mile section of the map.
(Dangers of Concurrent Heat Waves, Air Pollution, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
In a typical urban area with a high level of background air pollution — for example, around 15 micrograms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) per cubic metre, or a nitrogen dioxide concentration around 33 micrograms per cubic metre — an extra 300 trees per square kilometre was associated with around 50 fewer emergency asthma cases per 100,000 residents over the 15 year study period.
(Asthma Attacks Reduced in Tree-Lined Urban Neighborhoods, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
The researchers examined the relationship between test results, self-reported non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and ambient particulate matter and black carbon in the month preceding the test.
(Aspirin Could Cut Air Pollution Harms, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
Particulate matter comes from a range of sources, including the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and power plants.
(Aspirin Could Cut Air Pollution Harms, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
