...
By Daniella Gray
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Small household appliances with electric heating coils and brushed DC motors—such as hairdryers, toasters and air fryers—are significant sources of ultrafine particles (UFP) that may pose health risks, especially for young children.
This is the warning of new research from South Korea— led by professor Changhyuk Kim of Pusan National University—which investigated how these common appliances emit heavy metal ultrafine particles (UFPs) that can settle deep into the lungs.
Advances in measurement technology have drawn attention to UFPs in recent years, revealing that indoor sources often overshadow outdoor ones.
Read More on Science
Kim said the research highlighted the importance of understanding how indoor sources contribute to airborne pollutants and how that knowledge can shape public health policies.
“In the long term, reducing UFP emissions from everyday devices will contribute to healthier indoor environments and lower chronic exposure risks, particularly for young children, than current status,” he said.
...
According to the researchers, small appliances like hair dryers are of particular concern because they are typically used close to the body and lack protective barriers that could reduce exposure.
Kim’s team measured particle emissions from several devices, comparing brushed and brushless motor types in hair dryers and examining heating coils in air fryers and toasters.
(Brushed motors are those that contain carbon "brushes", electical contacts which conduct current between the stationary and rotating parts of the motor.)
The researchers also studied the chemical composition of the particles and used simulation models to assess how inhaled UFPs travel through the respiratory system.
...
Their findings showed that appliances equipped with brushed DC motors or electric heating coils released drastically higher particle concentrations—up to 10 to 100 times more—than devices using brushless motors.
Many heating coils contained heavy metals such as copper, iron, aluminum, silver and titanium. The study noted that these metals can increase the risk of inflammation and cytotoxicity—which causes cell death or severe damage—once inhaled.
Simulation models also revealed that the particles tend to accumulate in the alveolar region of the lungs, the deepest part of the respiratory tract.
Children may be particularly vulnerable because of their smaller airway diameters and greater deposition volume per body weight. The study emphasized that infants and young children could receive proportionally higher doses of harmful particles compared to adults under similar exposure conditions.
According to the researchers, the framework used in the study may also be applied to other consumer products as industries shift toward designs that prioritize human health.
Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Reference
Ryu, G., Kim, J., Ha, Y., Chae, S., Yang, E., & Kim, C. (2025). Physicochemical characteristics and health impacts of ultrafine particles emitted from small home appliances equipped with heating coils and brushed motors. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139796
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines