People claim that 70-80% of household dust is dead skin, but is it true?
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Special thanks to J.M.E.H van Bronswijk, author of ‘House Dust Biology’. We exchanged emails to make sure I got my facts straight for this video. Below is an excerpt from her email to me, responding to my claims that start with a dash:
– Around half of airborne dust particles under 100um are skin scales
This is true for climates, regions and seasons where people live mostly indoors.
The 1 to 2 g of skin scales shed each 24 hours will end up in places where people are present (and rub their skin or have textile moving over the skin).
You can also look at it from a different angle: What else has the same size and could contribute? That will usually be pollen from outdoor sources, also depending on season, region and climate, as well as the ventilation regime of the building.
However, taken as the median value over a whole year, I consider your statement correct for regions with a temperate climate.
