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Aerosols
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Scientific term used to describe particles suspended in a fluid such as air.
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Airways
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The passageways through which air moves while traveling in and out of the lungs during breathing.
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Asthma
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A disease characterized by inflamed and narrowed airways and difficulty breathing.
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Alveolar region
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Gas-exchange region of the deep lung.
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Alveoli
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Small saclike areas of the lungs that make up the alveolar region.
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Ambient
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Outdoor.
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Anemia
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A condition in which the blood does not contain enough hemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body.
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Antibody
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A protein made by white blood cells to fight a specific foreign protein.
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Bronchitis
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Inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which connect the trachea to the lungs.
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Carcinogenic
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Cancer-causing.
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Emphysema
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A condition caused by a breakdown of alveoli walls resulting in shortness of breath and coughing.
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Epidemiology
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Scientific study of the causes and control of epidemics and illnesses.
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Free radical
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Extremely reactive chemical compound.
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Hemoglobin
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The compound in red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen; hemoglobin bound to oxygen gives blood its red color.
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Greenhouse gases
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Gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that have a high potential for trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere.
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Global warming
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Predicted warming of the Earth's climate due to increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels.
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Lung function
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A gauge of how well the lung performs measured by the volume of exhaled air.
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Macrophages
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In response to foreign materials, these immune system cells may become stimulated and play an important role in killing some tumor cells, bacteria and protozoa.
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Microgram
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One-millionth of one gram.
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Micron
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One-millionth of a meter, or one-thousandth of a millimeter.
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Mutagenic
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Anything that can increase the rate of abnormal change in cells, which can lead to cancer.
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Organic compounds
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Chemical compounds containing carbon and hydrogen molecules.
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Pathogen
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Any substance capable of causing disease.
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Photochemical reactions
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Chemical reactions of pollutants in the atmosphere driven by the sun's energy.
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ppm
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Parts per million.
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