Total Suspended Particulate (TSP)
The U.S. EPA defines particulate air pollution as an air-suspended mixture of both solid and liquid particles. TSP includes airborne particles > 10µm (micrometers) in diameter.
How is TSP produced?
Particulate matter comes from both human and natural sources. Natural sources include sea salt, wildfire smoke from forest fires, pollen, and mold. Human activities responsible for PM10 entering the atmosphere include:
Fuel-burning - both diesel and coal
Construction sites
Industrial emissions, such as power plants
Vehicle exhaust
TSP does not have a specified size limit. Therefore TSP covers the full range of particle sizes, including smaller particulate sizes such as PM10 and PM2.5.
What are the health risks and environmental effects of TSP?
Particles above 10µm are not usually acknowledged in government health legislation, as our nose and throat filter them out. Instead, TSP is more a nuisance dust than a health risk. However, as TSP includes all particle sizes, the risks associated with PM10 and PM2.5, such as serious respiratory and cardiovascular problems, also apply.
Why use an Aeroqual TSP sensor?
Aeroqual offers fixed options for continuous real-time monitoring of TSP in outdoor areas. TSP is commonly measured alongside PM10 and PM2.5, particularly at industrial sites requiring nuisance dust assessment and monitoring.
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