Measurements · Particulate Matter
Total PM / Mass Conc.
Also known as TSP, total suspended particulates, total dust
Total suspended particulate mass concentration across all measured sizes.
What it is
What is total particulate matter (TSP)?
Total PM (total suspended particulate, or TSP) is the whole mass of solid and liquid particles suspended in a volume of air, taken across every size fraction rather than at a single cut-point. Where PM2.5 and PM10 isolate defined size ranges, total PM aims to capture everything airborne: fine combustion particles, coarse mechanical dust, pollen, spores, sea salt, and the larger particles that settle out quickly. It is the classic "nuisance dust" or "total dust" metric, used for general dust burden, deposition complaints, and process emissions where the concern is the overall quantity of particulate rather than a specific health-defined fraction.
Because it sums all sizes, total PM is dominated by whatever coarse material a site happens to generate, which makes it a broad indicator of dustiness rather than a fine-health metric.
Health and operational effects
Most of the mass in total PM is coarse and is trapped in the nose, throat, and upper airways rather than reaching the deep lung, so on a per-microgram basis it is less hazardous than the fine fractions. It still matters, though. High total dust irritates airways, soils surfaces, reduces visibility, and generates the deposition complaints (dust on cars, sills, and laundry) that bring a site into dispute with neighbors. In the workplace, "total" or "inhalable" dust is the regulated occupational figure for many low-toxicity nuisance dusts that have no more specific limit.
For quarries, bulk-handling, agriculture, and construction, total PM at the boundary is often the nuisance and permit metric, while inhalable dust in the breathing zone is the occupational one.
How it is measured
How Total PM / Mass Conc. Is Measured
Optical (light-scattering) monitors give continuous total mass by summing the concentration across their size channels, and are the practical choice for real-time boundary and process monitoring. Gravimetric high-volume samplers are the reference method for TSP: they draw a large volume of air through a filter that is weighed before and after. A true TSP measurement depends on an inlet that admits the largest particles, and because many optical sensors are limited to around the PM10 range, their "total" reflects mass up to that inlet cut. For occupational inhalable dust, a sampling head such as the IOM collects the inhalable fraction onto a weighed filter.
Built into Aethair PRO and Aethair IAQ2
Measured by the monitor's own sensors, calibrated before it ships: nothing to add.
An instrument on Thiamis4
A third-party instrument connected to a Thiamis gateway, reporting into the same Environet account.
Placing total PM monitoring
For nuisance and boundary work, place monitors along the site perimeter on the sides nearest sensitive receptors, with intakes clear of local dust sources, and always record wind speed and direction so a dust event can be attributed to on-site activity rather than a passing source. For occupational inhalable dust, the sampling head sits in the worker's breathing zone to capture the actual inhaled exposure over the shift.
Every device and option that measures Total PM / Mass Conc. 6
| Device / option | Type | Base platform | Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
Aethair PRO built-in sensors | Built-in sensors | Aethair PRO | Total PM / Mass Conc.Dew PointHeat IndexRelative HumidityIlluminance / LightParticle Count (by size)PM1 |
 Aethair IAQ built-in sensors | Built-in sensors | Aethair IAQ | |
 Thermo Scientific · pDR-1500, ADR-1500 | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis | |
 TSI · DustTrak 8530, DustTrak 8530EP, DustTrak 8532… | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis | |
 Met One · ES-642 | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis | Total PM / Mass Conc. |
 Trolex · Air XD (TX8005), Air XD (TX8015), XD ONE (TX8060)… | Particulate & Dust Monitors | Thiamis |
Where it is monitored
Solutions That Monitor Total PM / Mass Conc.
Each one links to the solution page showing what that industry measures it for.
Perimeter Monitoring
Core parameterTotal suspended particulate captures the full dust burden a construction or demolition site generates, from the coarse nuisance dust that settles on neighboring property to the finer health-relevant fractions.
Article Library
Reading on Total PM / Mass Conc.
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.
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring: What Nonattainment Changes
Ambient air quality monitoring explained: how PM2.5 attainment is measured, what a nonattainment designation triggers, and what site-level monitoring adds.
Fenceline Air Quality Monitoring: Equipment and Approaches
Compare fenceline air quality monitoring approaches: standalone stations, pelican-case kits, and connected 4G sensor networks.
How to Choose an Air Quality Monitor: PRO, IAQ, or Thiamis
Compare Aethair PRO, IAQ, and Thiamis to match the right device to your site, from commercial interiors to industrial and fenceline monitoring.
Related
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Questions
Total PM / Mass Conc. FAQ
What is the difference between total PM, PM10, and PM2.5?
Total PM (TSP) is the whole suspended mass across all sizes; PM10 is only the fraction up to ten microns and PM2.5 only up to 2.5. In other words PM10 and PM2.5 are defined slices of the total, chosen because they match how far particles penetrate the body. Total PM is broader and coarser, and is used for general dust burden rather than a specific health fraction.
Is total dust regulated?
In the workplace, yes: many low-toxicity dusts without a more specific standard are controlled through an inhalable or total-dust limit, expressed as a shift average. In ambient air, most modern frameworks regulate PM10 and PM2.5 rather than TSP, so outdoor total PM is more often a nuisance and permit metric set locally.
Why measure total PM instead of just PM2.5 and PM10?
Total PM answers a different question: how much dust in total is being generated or deposited, regardless of size. For deposition complaints, general housekeeping dust, and low-toxicity bulk materials, the total burden is the relevant figure, whereas PM2.5 and respirable dust target specific health fractions. Many sites monitor both.
How do I monitor total PM?
The Aethair family reports PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 mass from a built-in optical sensor, which covers the suspended mass up to its inlet range for most practical purposes. For a true TSP figure or an occupational inhalable-dust result, a Thiamis gateway can carry a high-volume or gravimetric sampler. Use the configurator to combine total PM with PM10, PM2.5, and noise in a dust-monitoring configuration.
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