Dust is annoying. It’s everywhere, and no matter how many times you keep cleaning, it will always come back! So instead of just mindlessly cleaning up after this unwelcome visitor, maybe it’s time to understand what dust is and its origins. Macquarie University in Australia launched the DustSafe program to learn more by analyzing different dust samples sent by people from all around Australia. According to the program’s analysis, house dust can include elements like trace metals, radioactive elements, antibiotic-resistant genes, and microplastics. In addition, they estimated that one-third of trace element contaminants in household dust originate from sources inside the home.
Check out The Conversation’s full piece on house dust to learn more!
Image credit: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash
Primary sources of dust around here: dogs, cats, mud, shoes, lint, pollen, and people.