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If someone knows the answer to this I’d be interested to know :

Do different PM2.5 components affect the body differently, even for the same overall count?

Eg, are the PM2.5 particulates from burning toast comparable in bodily health impact to a similar PM2.5 count coming from a heavy Diesel engine’s exhaust (which I presume would have a different particulate makeup).

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Still an active field of study but your intuition seems to be right. One study is here [1]. Combustible “types” of PM are usually worse (think smoke / carbon) vs. vaporous types of PM. The method of action is hypothesized to be the carbon particulate getting lodged in your lungs (similar problems from smoking, carbon nanotube inhalation, or charred foods).

[1] https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.0800185?url_v...

My understanding is that PM2.5 with heavy metals or toxic payloads is more dangerous, but both are dangerous.

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