The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency today released an advisory that air pollution levels in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota have been rated as “unsafe for sensitive groups” according to an article from the Pioneer Press. But where did this pollution come from?

The Pioneer Press article, “Twin Cities under air pollution advisory,” written by Nancy Yang was really just a short note, as follows:

“Air monitors indicate that fine particles are at a level approaching unhealthy for sensitive groups in the Twin Cities. Air quality is already at an unhealthy level in the Rochester area, the agency said. Sensitive groups include people with heart or lung disease, children and athletes. To learn more about air pollution or to check hourly updates of the air quality index, visit http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/index.cfm.”

My question is, what are these “fine particles” and where do they come from?  According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Website, it is defined as follows:

Particulate Matter, Fine (PM2.5)

Fine particulate matter is a complex mixture of very small liquid droplets or solid particles in the air. Major sources are cars, trucks, construction equipment, coal-fired power plants, wood burning, vegetation and livestock. These particles can be directly released when coal, gasoline, diesel fuels and wood are burned. Many fine particles are also formed in the atmosphere from chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, organic compounds and ammonia. Fine particulates are associated with increased hospitalizations and deaths due to respiratory and heart disease and can worsen the symptoms of asthma. People with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children are the groups most at risk. Fine particles are also major contributors to reduced visibility (haze). See Also Particulate Matter,”

These fine particles sound a lot like the smoke produced by kerosene lanterns, Perhaps it’s no stretch of the imagination to state that it looks like we here in Minnesota are now experiencing outdoors on a wide scale the same air pollution problem that is faced on a daily basis in huts and shanties across the world where there is no access to electricity.