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{{Refimprove|date=October 2008}}
[[Image:Dust-storm-Texas-1935.png|thumb|A [[dust storm]] blankets [[Texas]] homes, in 1935.]]

'''Dust''' is a general name for  solid particles with diameters less than 20 [[Thou (unit of length)|thou]] (500 [[micrometre|micrometres]]). Particles in the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind, [[volcanic eruptions]], and pollution. Dust in homes, offices, and other human environments contains small amounts of plant [[pollen]], human and animal hairs, [[textiles|textile fibers]], [[paper|paper fibres]], minerals from outdoor soil, and many other materials which may be found in the local environment.<ref name="hesskosa">Kathleen Hess-Kosa, (2002), ''Indoor Air Quality: sampling methodologies'', page 216. CRC Press.</ref> 

===Domestic dust and humans===
[[Image:Laptop dust.jpg|thumb|Three years of use without cleaning has caused this [[laptop]] [[heat sink]] to become clogged with '''dust''', rendering the computer unusable due to possibility of [[overheating]].]]

Insects and other small fauna found in houses subtly interact with dust and may have adverse impact on the health of [[human|humans]]{{Fact|date=October 2008}}. 

Dust may worsen [[hay fever]]. Circulating outdoor air through a house by keeping doors and windows open, or at least slightly ajar, may reduce the risk of hay fever-causing dust. In colder climates, occupants seal even the smallest air gaps, and eliminate outside fresh air circulating inside the house. So it is essential to manage dust and airflow.{{Fact|date=March 2010}}. 

[[House dust mite]]s exist on all indoor surfaces and even suspended in the air. They feed on minute particles of organic matter, the main constituent of house dust. Dust mites flourish in the fibers of bedding, furniture, and carpets.  They excrete enzymes to digest the organic particles, and excrete feces, that together become part of the house dust, and may irritate allergies.<ref>{{cite web | last = Abadi | first = Sara <!-- | authorlink = http://www.aolhealth.com/bio/sara-abadi --> | title = The Great American Hygiene Survey Results Revealed | publisher = AOL Health | date = August 2009 | url = http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/good-hygiene | accessdate = August 2009}}</ref>

Alternately, the [[hygiene hypothesis]] posits that the modern obsession with [[cleanliness]] is as much a problem as house dust mites. The hygiene hypothesis argues that our lack of prior pathogenic exposure may in fact ''encourage'' the development of ailments including [[hay fever]] and [[asthma]].<ref>http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=416594</ref><ref>http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002421.html</ref>

==Atmospheric dust==
[[Image:Dust storm over Libya.jpg|thumb|Large dust storm over [[Libya]].]]
Airborne dust is considered an [[Particulate|aerosol]] and can have a strong local [[radiative forcing]] on the atmosphere and significant effects on climate. In addition, if enough minute particles are dispersed within the air in a given area (such as flour or coal dust), under certain circumstances can cause an [[Dust explosion|explosion]] hazard.

[[Coal dust]] is responsible for the lung disease known as [[Pneumoconiosis]], including [[black lung]] disease, that occurs among coal miners. The danger of coal dust resulted in environmental legislation regulating work place air quality in some jurisdictions.

===Road dust===
Dust kicked up by vehicles traveling on [[road]]s,<ref>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/11/991130062843.htm</ref> may make up 33% of [[air pollution]]<ref>http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/10/27/stories/2007102759600100.htm</ref> Road dust consists of deposition of vehicle exhausts and industrial exhausts, tire and brake wears, dust from paved roads or [[pothole]]s, and dust from construction sites.<ref>http://www.cleanair.hamilton.ca/events/street-sweeping-study.asp</ref> Road dust represents a significant source contributing to the generation and release of [[Particulate|particulate matter]] into the atmosphere.<ref>http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri/consultations/2006/Road_Dust_e.cfm</ref> Control of road dust is a significant challenge in urban areas, and also in other spheres with high levels of vehicular traffic upon unsealed roads such as mines and garbage dumps. Road dust may be suppressed by mechanical methods like sweeping vehicles,<ref>http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=936477</ref> with vegetable oils,<ref name="usroads.com">http://www.usroads.com/journals/rmej/9806/rm980604.htm</ref> or with water sprayers.

{{seealso|road debris}}

==Dust control==
===Control of atmospheric dust===
The U. S. [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) mandates facilities that generate dust minimize or mitigate the production of dust in their operation.  The most frequent dust control violations occur at new residential housing developments in [[urban area|urban]] areas. United States Federal law requires that construction sites obtain permits to conduct earth moving, and include plans to control dust [[air pollutant|emissions]]. Control measures include such simple practices as spraying construction and [[demolition]] sites with water, and preventing the tracking of dust onto adjacent roads.  US federal laws require dust control on sources such as vacant lots, unpaved parking lots, and unpaved roads. Dust in such places may be suppressed by mechanical methods {{Fact|date=October 2008}}, including paving or laying down gravel, or stabilizing the surface with water, vegetable oils<ref name="usroads.com"/> or other dust suppressants, or by using water misters to suppress dust that is already airborne {{Fact|date=October 2008}}.

===Control of domestic dust===
Dust control is the [[wiktionary:suppression|suppression]] of solid particles with diameters less than 500 micrometers.  Dust in the airstream poses a serious health threat to children,<ref>"Dust mites in the humid atmosphere of Bangalore trigger around 60% of asthma" [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Over_50_Bangalore_kids_hit_by_asthma/rssarticleshow/2520601.cms]</ref> older people, and those with [[respiratory illness]]es.
House dust can become airborne easily. Care should be exercised when removing dust to avoid causing the dust to become airborne. Some dust removing devices trap some dust.  One way to repel dust is with an electrical charge {{Fact|date=October 2008}}. [[Water-trap vacuums]] such as the Rainbow, eliminate the risk of broadcasting dust by drowning the dust particles in water. Dust subsequently cannot escape the container to fly back into the air.

===Control of dust resistance on surfaces===
A dust resistant [[surface]] is a state of prevention against dust contamination or damage, by a [[Engineering|design]] or treatment of [[material]]s and items in [[manufacturing]] or through a [[repair]] process. A reduced [[tacticity]] of a synthetic layer or covering can protect surfaces and release small molecules that could have remained attached. A panel, container or enclosure with [[Hemming and seaming|seam]]s may feature types of strengthened [[Structural rigidity|rigidity]] or [[sealant]] to vulnerable [[Edge (geometry)|edge]]s and [[Join (topology)|join]]s.

==Dust in other contexts==
<center><gallery caption ="Dust Accelerates [[Snowmelt]] in the [[San Juan Mountains]]" perrow="4">
Image:Dust Reduces Snow Cover in the San Juans - 2005.jpg|2005 (Less dust)
Image:Dust Reduces Snow Cover in the San Juans - 2006.jpg|2006 (More dust)
Image:Dust Accelerates Snow Melt in San Juan Mountains - May 31, 2008.jpg|2008 (Less dust)
Image:Dust Accelerates Snow Melt in San Juan Mountains - May 18, 2009.jpg|2009 (More dust)
</gallery></center>
===Dust in outer space===
[[Cosmic dust]] is widely present in space, where gas and dust clouds are primary precursors for [[planetary systems]]. The [[zodiacal light]] seen in the dark night sky, is produced by sunlight reflected from particles of dust in orbit around the Sun. The tails of [[comet]]s are produced by emissions of dust and ionized gas from the body of the comet. Dust also covers solid planetary bodies, and vast [[dust storm]]s occur on Mars that cover almost the entire planet. [[Interstellar dust]] is found between the stars, and high concentrations produce [[diffuse nebulae]] and [[reflection nebulae]].

Dust is widely present in the galaxy.  Ambient radiation heats dust and re-emits radiation into the microwave band, which may distort the [[cosmic microwave background]] power spectrum.  Dust in this regime has a complicated emission spectrum, and includes both thermal dust emission and spinning dust emission.<ref>{{cite journal | author = D. P. Finkbeiner, M. Davis and D. J. Schlegel | title = Extrapolation of Galactic Dust Emission at 100 Microns to CMBR Frequencies Using FIRAS| journal = Astrophys. J. | volume = 524 | pages = 867 | year = 1999 | doi = 10.1086/307852 }} {{arxiv | archive = astro-ph | id= 9905128 }}</ref>

Dust samples returned from outer space may provide information about conditions in the early solar system. Several spacecraft have sought to gather samples of dust and other materials. Among these craft was [[Stardust (spacecraft)|Stardust]], which flew past [[Comet Wild 2]] in 2004, and returned a capsule of the comet's remains to Earth in January 2006. The [[Japan]]ese [[Hayabusa]] spacecraft is on a mission to collect samples of dust from the surface of an [[asteroid]].

===Art and entertainment===
[[Stippling]] and [[airbrushing]] are fine art techniques that can create dust. In [[video game]]s, a [[particle system]] is usually used.

==Gallery==
<center><gallery>
Image:Dust over Southeast Australia.jpg|Dry, windy weather sends clouds of dust across south-eastern [[Australia]].
Image:Spring Bloom and Dust off Argentina.jpg|A pale brown plume of dust sweeps out of [[Argentina]]’s [[Pampa]]s.
Image:Dust Extends from Saudi Arabia to Iran.jpg|A thick dust plume over [[Kuwait]] and the north-western tip of the [[Persian Gulf]].
</gallery></center>

==See also==
{{commonscat|Dust}}
*[[Contamination control]]
*[[Dust bunny]]
*[[Dust explosion]]
*[[Medical geology]]
*[[Mineral dust]]
*[[Sawdust]]
*[[ Billy Douglas]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*Holmes, Hannah; (2001)''The Secret Life of Dust''. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-37743-0
*Steedman, Carolyn; (2002) ''Dust''. [[Manchester University Press]]. ISBN 978-0719060151

==External links==
*[http://www.lbk.ars.usda.gov/wewc/biblio/bar.htm The Bibliography of Aeolian Research]
*[http://www.daab.de/ The German Asthma & Allergy Federation (DAAB)] {{de icon}}

[[Category:Granular materials]]
[[Category:Particulates]]
[[Category:Cleaning]]

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[[an:Polvo]]
[[be:Пыл]]
[[ca:Pols (partícules)]]
[[cs:Prach]]
[[da:Støv]]
[[de:Staub]]
[[et:Tolm]]
[[es:Polvo]]
[[eu:Hauts]]
[[fr:Poussière]]
[[ga:Deannach]]
[[ko:먼지]]
[[id:Debu]]
[[ia:Pulvere]]
[[is:Ryk]]
[[it:Polvere]]
[[he:אבק]]
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[[ja:粉塵]]
[[no:Støv]]
[[pl:Kurz]]
[[pt:Poeira]]
[[ru:Пыль]]
[[scn:Pruvulazzu]]
[[sk:Prach]]
[[sr:Прашина]]
[[su:Kebul]]
[[fi:Pöly]]
[[sv:Damm (stoft)]]
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[[ta:தூசி]]
[[uk:Пил]]
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[[Category:2Fix]]