[The dangers to health of fine dust particles in the air].

Many scientific studies have been published that connect all kinds of toxicological characteristics offine dust particles, measured in vitro, with lung damage parameters both in animals and humans. These studies do not provide an unequivocal picture on the mechanisms that are responsible for the perceived connection between exposure to fine dust and the degree of illness and death. Without connecting to specific sources of air pollution, this type of study moreover, is only of limited value for drawing up control policy. Even if one or more responsible properties could be determined, it is still unlikely that these would be translated into a standard for permitted levels of concentration in the open air. It is far more likely that such insight will be used for specific source policy aimed at tackling the sources that contribute the most to the harmfulness of the mixture of air pollution.