Risky Breathing: Inhaled Particles and Health

Prof. Jonathan M. Samet, MD, MS
Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental and Occupational Health
Colorado School of Public Health

"Airborne particles are an extraordinarily diverse mixture: toxic, radioactive, allergenic, and infectious. We inhale them in large numbers with each breath everywhere that we spend time. This presentation will provide a broad perspective on inhaled particles and health, describing how they cause injury and disease. I will offer case studies: radon and lung cancer, airborne pathogens, smoke from biomass fuels, and ambient particulate matter air pollution. The presentation will address steps taken to reduce the health risks associated with inhaled particles, particularly the complex regulatory landscape around air quality guidelines and standards."