Some household appliances can release trillions of ultrafine particles per minute

Researchers from Pusan National University (PNU, South Korea) have developed a specialized laboratory chamber to measure the emissions of ultrafine particles (UFP) into the atmosphere produced by various household appliances.
These ultrafine particles are smaller than 100 nanometers, small enough to penetrate the human body.
The team tested several toasters, air fryers, and hair dryers. Most of these appliances emitted a significant number of UFP. The highest emitter was a pop-up toaster, which, without bread inside, released about 1.73 trillion particles per minute.

Simulations by the team showed that UFP are too small to be filtered by the nose, allowing them to reach deep into the lungs of both adults and children. Because children have narrower airways, they may be at even greater risk of exposure, ScienceAlert reported.
“Our research highlights the need to design electrical appliances to limit harmful emissions and to develop recommendations for indoor air quality,” said environmental engineer Changhyuk Kim, the lead author of the study.
Kim said heating elements and brushed DC motors in devices played a significant role in UFP emissions. In contrast, tested brushless hair dryers emitted 10 to 100 times fewer particles than dryers with brushed motors.
In addition to UFP, researchers found traces of heavy metals—copper, iron, aluminum, silver, and titanium—in indoor air. These metals likely enter the air directly from the coils and motors inside household appliances.
“When these heavy-metal–containing particles enter the body, they increase the risk of cytotoxicity and inflammation,” Kim said.
Researchers have studied this topic before, and both earlier and new findings are worrying. UFP are typically associated with cardiovascular disease, asthma, and other health problems.
Lately scientists have focused more on indoor air quality, especially the impact of household appliances, deodorants, and hair sprays on health. With global warming and the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are spending more time indoors than before.
The researchers say systematic measures are needed to improve the safety of household appliances and reduce UFP emissions. “Understanding the sources of pollution will help develop preventive measures to maintain healthy indoor air quality,” Kim said.
The study’s findings were published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
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