Measurements · Particulate Matter
PM10
Also known as coarse particulate matter, inhalable dust, particulate matter 10
Inhalable ('thoracic') particulate ≤10 µm; includes coarse dust that deposits in the upper airways.
What it is
What is PM10?
PM10 is airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns or less. It is the "inhalable" fraction, coarse enough to include road dust, construction and demolition dust, crushed stone, soil, pollen, mold spores, and sea salt, as well as the finer combustion particles that also count as PM2.5. Because it spans that whole coarse-to-fine range, PM10 is the natural metric for dusty, mechanical sources: quarries, construction sites, unpaved roads, bulk handling, and agriculture.
Together with PM2.5 it forms the backbone of particulate monitoring in ambient, fence-line, and workplace settings.
Health and operational effects
PM10 particles are inhaled into the upper airways and lungs, aggravating asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions and contributing to cardiovascular stress. The coarser fraction generally deposits higher in the respiratory tract than PM2.5, but it still carries real health risk, particularly for people with existing lung disease. High PM10 is also the visible, complaint-generating form of pollution: the dust that settles on cars and windowsills near a site.
For construction, mining, and industrial operators, PM10 at the site boundary is frequently the regulated, permit-bound number that determines whether work can continue. That makes real-time boundary monitoring an operational necessity rather than a formality.
Limits
PM10 Limit Values
The published values, by averaging period; each links to the standard that sets it.
24-hour, notification threshold
A01 Air Quality
15-minute, above upwind
120-minute rolling, downwind minus upwind
One-time test
- EU 2024/2881 20 µg/m³: 2030 limit value (previously 40)
- NYSDEC DER-10 100 µg/m³: dust suppression required (Appendix 1A)
- NYSDEC DER-10 150 µg/m³: work stops if still exceeded after dust suppression (Appendix 1A)
- SCAQMD 1466 25 µg/m³: earth-moving stops or dust controls apply until at or below 25 µg/m³ averaged over 30 minutes
- LEED v5 50 µg/m³: or ISO Class 8 per ISO 14644-1
PM10 is reported in µg/m³, compared as 24-hour and annual averages against the applicable limits: US EPA NAAQS, WHO 2021 guideline, and the EU 2030 limit values, all listed in the table on this page. On active sites, monitoring is often run against a locally permitted trigger level with real-time alerts, so that dust suppression (water spraying, reduced activity) can be applied the moment the boundary concentration approaches its limit rather than after an exceedance is recorded.
How it is measured
How PM10 Is Measured
The same three technologies used for PM2.5 apply. Optical (light-scattering) monitors give real-time PM10 and are standard for boundary and network monitoring. Beta attenuation monitors collect particles on a tape and measure them by beta-ray absorption, common in regulatory stations. Gravimetric samplers weigh collected particles and are the reference method. For the coarse fraction, the instrument's size-selective inlet, which admits particles up to 10 microns and excludes larger ones, is critical to a correct PM10 measurement.
Built into Aethair PRO and Aethair IAQ2
Measured by the monitor's own sensors, calibrated before it ships: nothing to add.
An instrument on Thiamis3
A third-party instrument connected to a Thiamis gateway, reporting into the same Environet account.
Placing PM10 sensors
For construction and industrial boundary monitoring, place instruments along the site perimeter, especially on the sides nearest sensitive receptors such as homes and schools, with intakes clear of local dust sources, and always pair them with wind speed and direction so a dust exceedance can be attributed to on-site activity rather than a passing source. For ambient networks, standard siting away from immediate local sources gives representative area concentrations.
Every device and option that measures PM10 5
| Device / option | Type | Base platform | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
Aethair PRO built-in sensors | Built-in sensors | Aethair PRO | |
 Aethair IAQ built-in sensors | Built-in sensors | Aethair IAQ | |
 TSI · DustTrak 8530, DustTrak 8530EP, DustTrak 8532… | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis | |
 Met One · E-BAM, E-BAM Plus | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis | |
 Trolex · Air XD (TX8005), Air XD (TX8015), XD ONE (TX8060)… | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis |
Where it is monitored
Solutions That Monitor PM10
Each one links to the solution page showing what that industry measures it for.
Cabin Air Quality
Core parameterAt the surface boundary of a mine or quarry, PM10 is the parameter that governs the operation's dust impact on neighboring communities.
Outdoor Monitoring
Core parameterPM10 in ambient monitoring captures the inhalable coarse-and-fine dust burden of an area, from traffic and road dust to construction, industry, and natural sources.
Perimeter Monitoring
Core parameterPM10 is the dust fraction most visibly generated by construction and demolition (cutting, crushing, earthmoving, and vehicle movement), and it is usually the number written into a site's permit conditions.
Wildfire Air Monitoring
Core parameterWildfire smoke carries both fine and coarse particles, and PM10 captures the broader dust-and-ash burden alongside PM2.5 during a smoke event.
Healthcare Air Monitoring
Often addedClinical air quality, pressurization, and patient safety
Indoor Air Quality
Often addedOffices, schools, homes, and public buildings
School Air Monitoring
Often addedClassroom CO₂, particulates, and campus IAQ
Article Library
Reading on PM10
Fenceline Air Quality Monitoring: Equipment and Approaches
Compare fenceline air quality monitoring approaches: standalone stations, pelican-case kits, and connected 4G sensor networks.
WELL Building Standard Air Quality: CO2 & PM2.5 Limits 2026
WELL v2 air quality limits: PM2.5 at 15 µg/m³, formaldehyde at 50 µg/m³, CO2 at 900 ppm for ventilation monitoring, plus the monitoring WELL verifies.
Industrial Perimeter Air Quality Monitoring: Action Levels
What industrial perimeter monitoring requires at fenceline and construction sites: DER-10 CAMP action levels, EPA fenceline rules, and continuous records.
Air Quality Near Data Centers: What Communities Should Know
Air quality near data centers: construction dust, diesel generator emissions, and noise, and how communities get independent monitoring data.
Data Center Air Quality Monitoring, Inside and Out
Data center air quality monitoring for operators: ISO 14644 cleanliness in the white space, construction dust, generator emissions, and perimeter noise.
IAQ Monitoring Parameters: PM2.5, CO2, VOCs & Formaldehyde
Indoor air quality monitoring parameters explained: PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, and formaldehyde, plus the sensors, thresholds, and OSHA, ASHRAE 62.1, and WELL limits.
Related
More in Particulate Matter
Questions
PM10 FAQ
What is the difference between PM10 and PM2.5?
PM10 includes all particles up to 10 microns (both coarse dust and fine particles), while PM2.5 is only the fine fraction up to 2.5 microns. PM10 better represents mechanical dust sources like construction and roads; PM2.5 better represents combustion and penetrates deeper into the lungs. Most monitors report both, and the coarse fraction is the difference between them.
Why is PM10 important on construction sites?
PM10 is the dust fraction most visibly generated by cutting, crushing, earthmoving, and vehicle movement, and it is usually the permit-regulated boundary number. Real-time PM10 monitoring lets a site apply dust suppression before it breaches its trigger level and provides evidence for compliance and complaint response.
How do I attribute a dust exceedance to my site?
By monitoring wind speed and direction alongside PM10 at the boundary. When a concentration spike coincides with wind blowing from the working area toward the monitor, the dust can be attributed to on-site activity; spikes from the opposite direction point to an external source.
How do I monitor PM10?
The Aethair IAQ and Aethair PRO measure PM10 with a built-in laser optical sensor; for boundary and regulatory monitoring, pair a Thiamis gateway with an optical, beta-attenuation, or gravimetric monitor. Use the configurator to combine PM10 with PM2.5, respirable dust, and noise in a construction or quarrying configuration.
Monitor PM10 on the Record
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