Stelviot
Book a demo
Measurement · Air qualityPM2.5

Fine particles (PM2.5)

PM2.5 is the headline air-quality metric: particles under 2.5 microns, fine enough to reach deep into the lungs. It is one of the most health-relevant pollutants there is, linked to heart and lung disease worldwide. Indoors it comes from cooking, smoke and outdoor pollution finding its way in.

< 15 µg/m³
WHO 24-hour guideline limit
Laser
Laser light-scattering sensor
60s
Reading interval, logged continuously
Reception · Ground floor
within WHO
8µg/m³
Good · within WHO
075+ µg/m³
Last 24 hourswithin target
00:0008:0016:00now
Why measure it

The pollutant with the biggest health toll.

PM2.5 is among the most studied and most harmful air pollutants — and one of the clearest wins from good filtration and ventilation.

Heart & lungs

Long-term PM2.5 exposure is linked to heart disease, stroke and reduced lung function; short peaks worsen asthma and allergies.

Global health priority

PM2.5 is responsible for millions of premature deaths a year — the reason WHO tightened its guideline in 2021.

Visible wins

Filtration and source control cut PM2.5 quickly; monitoring shows the improvement in real time.

Certification

WHO, WELL, LEED and RESET Air all set PM2.5 limits. Continuous data is your evidence of clean air.

How to read it

Benchmarked to the WHO guideline.

The WHO 2021 24-hour guideline is 15 µg/m³, with an annual target of just 5 µg/m³. Healthy interiors stay within these; higher bands follow common air-quality indices.

8 µg/m³
0 µg/m³75+ µg/m³
0–15
Good
Within the WHO 24-hour guideline. Clean, healthy air.
15–35
Moderate
Above guideline. Improve filtration; sensitive groups take note.
35–55
Unhealthy (sensitive)
Unhealthy for sensitive groups. Reduce sources and filter air.
55+
Unhealthy
Unhealthy for everyone. Act to cut sources and clean the air.
Where it comes from

Cooking, smoke and the air outside.

Indoor PM2.5 is a mix of what you generate inside and what infiltrates from outdoors — and it tracks both closely.

01

Cooking

Frying, grilling and high-heat cooking are the dominant indoor PM2.5 source in most occupied buildings.

02

Smoke & combustion

Tobacco, candles, fireplaces and nearby wood-burning push PM2.5 up sharply.

03

Outdoor air

Traffic, industry and wildfires raise outdoor PM2.5 that enters through ventilation and gaps.

04

Resuspension

Foot traffic and cleaning lift settled dust back into the air, adding to the fine-particle load.

What good looks like
< 15 µg/m³

Stay within the WHO 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³; the WHO annual target is 5 µg/m³, so aim as low as filtration allows.

WHO 2021WELL v2LEEDRESET Air
Measured by your monitors

PM2.5 is measured by a laser light-scattering sensor on every monitor from the Standard tier upward.

Standard
Advanced
Premium
Compare devices

Bring your sterilisation room into compliance — this week.

A 20-minute demo with one of our engineers. We will show you the dashboard, alerts, and the audit-ready exports your inspectors expect.