Is there metal floating in the air?

Question

My laptop has magnetic latches to hold it closed instead of a hook latch. It keeps closed magnetically. It has a few magnets underneath the rim of the screen and on the bottom of the laptop. I noticed on the rim of the monitor where the magnets are underneath there is are these black squares of dust collecting exactly where the magnets are underneath, it looks like there are squares of dust on the rim. I just brush it away with my fingers, but this makes me wonder. Is there some kind of metal dust floating around the air thats getting stuck to the magnets?

Answer 1

There is all sorts of stuff, metallic and non-metallic floating around.  h**l, there's still radioactive fallout from the above ground nuclear tests from the 50s and 60s still floating around.  Odds are though that the stuff on your magnets is of a more local origin though, probably your clothing or the bag your laptop is in.

Answer 2

Yes. There are all kinds of contaminants in the air. Metals are present everywhere, especially around industrial areas. But metals occur naturally in most soil. Most of it is fine, microscopic particles that you can't readily see unless it's in a high concentration. The worst particulate matter (PM) is PM2.5, which is 2.5 microns in diameter - smaller than human hair. It is easily breathed deep into the lungs and aggravates - even causes - lung and heart problems.