As an aerosol, in Chemistry, the suspension of tiny particles of a liquid or solid substance in a gaseous medium, which may be air or any other gas, is designated. The word, as such, comes from the French aerosol.
Also called the aerosol is the liquid that is stored under pressure in a container, and that can only be released by a mechanism that expels it outward in the form of very fine drops. In the fields of perfumery, painting and pharmacology it is widely used to store substances such as perfumes, aerosol paints or inhalers for nasal congestion.
Aerosol can also be used to designate a container equipped with a special device that sprays the liquid it contains when thrown outside.
There also exist aerosols created to serve as a personal defense weapon that release pepper spray or tear gas to neutralize aggression. Also, tear aerosols are used by law enforcement agencies to repress demonstrations.
On the other hand, there are also atmospheric aerosols, made up of a heterogeneous mixture of solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. Atmospheric aerosols can be generated naturally, as a result of dust storms, forest fires, volcanic eruptions or by spraying seawater. Likewise, the human being can be an aerosol generator product of his activities, mainly, of the burning of fossil fuels. Hence, aerosols represent a serious air pollution problem.
Aerosol in Medicine
In medicine, aerosols are used for therapeutic or medicinal purposes. In this sense, aerosols are constituted by containers equipped with a special valve for the release of medicines in the form of very fine drops. They are also known as sprays or inhalers, and are primarily used for treatments in the airways. When it is a topical spray, it is more commonly known as a spray.
