Dust consists of
particles in the
atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil, dust lifted by weather (an
aeolian process),
volcanic eruptions, and
pollution. Dust in homes, offices, and other human environments contains small amounts of plant
pollen,
human and
animal hairs,
textile fibers,
paper fibers, minerals from outdoor soil,
human skin cells, burnt
meteorite particles, and many other materials which may be found in the local environment.