Dust

House dust

Description

Fine-grain, dry particles of inorganic and organic matter that are suspended in the air and are carried great distances by air currents. Dust deposits on horizontal surfaces and may be attracted or repelled by electrical charges. Dust can contain soot, dirt, silica, pollutants, animal and vegetable fibers, skin and hair debris, pollen, bacteria, and (fungus) mold.

Synonyms and Related Terms

particulate; dirt; Staub (Deut.); polvere (It.); poussire (Fr.); poeira (Port.)

Hazards and Safety

Particles smaller than 2 microns may penetrate to the lungs. Chronic exposure may cause cancer.

Authority

• Hermann Kuhn, Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986

• Michael McCann, Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

• Pam Hatchfield, Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000