Particulate matter concentrations during desert dust outbreaks and daily mortality in Nicosia, Cyprus (original) (raw)
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Environmental Health Perspectives, 2015
Background: Evidence on the association between short-term exposure to desert dust and health outcomes is controversial. oBjectives: We aimed to estimate the short-term effects of particulate matter ≤ 10 μm (PM 10) on mortality and hospital admissions in 13 Southern European cities, distinguishing between PM 10 originating from the desert and from other sources. Methods: We identified desert dust advection days in multiple Mediterranean areas for 2001-2010 by combining modeling tools, back-trajectories, and satellite data. For each advection day, we estimated PM 10 concentrations originating from desert, and computed PM 10 from other sources by difference. We fitted city-specific Poisson regression models to estimate the association between PM from different sources (desert and non-desert) and daily mortality and emergency hospitalizations. Finally, we pooled city-specific results in a random-effects meta-analysis. results: On average, 15% of days were affected by desert dust at ground level (desert PM 10 > 0 μg/m 3). Most episodes occurred in spring-summer, with increasing gradient of both frequency and intensity north-south and west-east of the Mediterranean basin. We found significant associations of both PM 10 concentrations with mortality. Increases of 10 μg/m 3 in non-desert and desert PM 10 (lag 0-1 days) were associated with increases in natural mortality of 0.55% (95% CI: 0.24, 0.87%) and 0.65% (95% CI: 0.24, 1.06%), respectively. Similar associations were estimated for cardio-respiratory mortality and hospital admissions. conclusions: PM 10 originating from the desert was positively associated with mortality and hospitalizations in Southern Europe. Policy measures should aim at reducing population exposure to anthropogenic airborne particles even in areas with large contribution from desert dust advections.
Influence of particulate matter on the air quality situation in a mediterranean island
Atmospheric Environment, 2009
The objective of this study was to describe the ambient levels of particulate matter (PM) and its influence to air quality situation on the dry Mediterranean island of Cyprus. From October 2002 to August 2003 PM 10 and PM 2.5 samples were collected at 31 different sampling sites in Cyprus. In addition, continuous measurements of PM 10 were carried out from 2003 to 2007 at a traffic and a rural site. It can be recognised that at all traffic and at some residential and urban background sites, the actual EU limit values have been exceeded. Special events e.g. long-range transport of Sahara dust storms were recorded over urban as well as rural areas in the order of 6-8 events per year, with a major frequency in summer and spring periods. The comparison of the PM 10 concentrations in Cyprus cities with values of other European cities demonstrates the PM 10 problem in Cyprus, especially in the dry summer season, when no rain is cleaning the air and the dry surfaces. This underlines the necessity of PM abatement strategies.
Short-term effects of particulate matter during desert and non-desert dust days on mortality in Iran
Environment International, 2020
Background: Increased atmospheric particulate matter (PM) concentrations are commonly observed during desert dust days in Iran, but there is still no evidence of their effects on human health. We aimed to evaluate the association between daily mortality and exposure to PM 10 and PM 2.5 during dust and non-dust days in Tehran and Ahvaz, two major Middle Eastern cities with different sources, intensity, and frequency of desert dust days. Methods: We identified desert dust days based on exceeding a daily PM 10 concentration threshold of 150 µg/m 3 between 2014 and 2017, checking for low PM 2.5 /PM 10 ratio typical of dust days. We used a time-stratified casecrossover design to estimate the short-term effects of PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations on daily mortality during dust and non-dust days. Data was analyzed using conditional Poisson regression models. Results: Higher concentrations of PM and frequency of desert dust days were observed in Ahvaz rather than Tehran. In Ahvaz, the effect of PM 10 at lag 0 was much higher during dust days, an increment of 10 μg/m 3 was associated with 3.28% (95%CI = [2.42, 4.15]) increase of daily mortality, than non-dust days, 1.03% (95%CI = [−0.02, 2.08]), while in Tehran, was slightly higher during non-dust days, 0.72% (95%CI = [0.23, 1.23]), than in dust days, 0.49% (95%CI = [−0.22, 1.20]). No statistically significant associations were observed between PM 2.5 and daily mortality in Ahvaz, while in Teheran the effect of PM 2.5 increased significantly during non-dust days at lag 2, 1.89% (95%CI = [0.83, 1.2.95] and lag 3, 1.88% (95%CI = [0.83, 1.2.95]). Conclusion: The study provides evidence that exposure to PM during Middle East dust days is an important risk factor to human health in arid regions and areas affected by desert dust events.
Saharan dust levels in Greece and received inhalation doses
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2008
The desert of Sahara is one of the major sources of mineral dust on Earth, producing around 2×10 8 tons/yr. Under certain weather conditions, dust particles from Saharan desert get transported over the Mediterranean Sea and most of Europe. The limiting values set by the directive EC/30/1999 of European Union can easily be exceeded by 5 the transport of desert dust particles in all south European areas and especially urban. In this study, the effects of dust transport on air quality in several Greek urban areas are quantified. PM 10 concentration values from stationary monitoring stations are compared to dust concentrations for the 4-year period 2003-2006. The dust concentration values in the Greek areas were estimated by the SKIRON modelling system 10 20 greater in the upper respiratory system (extrathoracic region) and less significant in the lungs, especially in the sensitive alveolar region. However, in cases of dust episodes, the amounts of mineral dust deposited along the human lung are comparable to those received during exposure in heavily polluted urban or smoking areas.
Aerosol Science and Engineering, 2018
The eastern Mediterranean region is strongly influenced by long-range transported particulate matter such as desert dust from northern Africa. To investigate the dynamics of Saharan dust events and their origin, satellite images from the MODIS spectroradiometer of NASA's satellites Terra and Aqua, and back trajectories analysis of the HYSPLIT model were combined together with continuous ground-based field data. Field PM 10 and PM 2.5 measurements were performed in the period 2003-2013 at the Akrotiri monitoring station on the island of Crete (Greece). Furthermore, the mineralogical composition of a small number of samples was determined by X-ray powder diffraction, whereas elemental particle composition analysis was performed on the dust samples collected using the ICP-MS technique for a series of elements. The annual average percentage of days with Sahara dust outbreaks in the region of western Crete (Akrotiri station) was 9.3% for the period 2003-2013. Excluding the PM 10 exceedances caused by Sahara dust events, the average PM 10 monthly concentrations are decreased by 20.5% during the 8-month period November-June, with higher PM 10 concentration reduction (29.9%) in the period February-April. Mineralogical analysis showed that illite was the most abundant mineral identified in all samples, followed by quartz and calcite. Gypsum was detected only in the dry sample. Moreover, the elemental particle composition analysis showed that collected dust originated from Africa deserts.
Environmental health : a global access science source, 2008
To date, a substantial body of research has shown adverse health effects of short-term changes in levels of air pollution. Such associations have not been investigated in smaller size cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. A particular feature in the region is dust blown from the Sahara a few times a year resulting in extreme PM10 concentrations. It is not entirely clear whether such natural phenomena pose the same risks. The effect of changes in daily levels of particulate matter (PM10) and ozone (O3) on hospitalization for all, cardiovascular and respiratory causes in the two hospitals in Nicosia during 1 January 1995 and 30 December 2004 was investigated using generalized additive Poisson models after controlling for long- and short-term patterns as well as for the effect of weather. Meteorological records were reviewed to identify dust-storm days and analyses were repeated to quantify their effect on cardio-respiratory morbidity. For every 10 microg/m3 increase in daily average PM...
2020
In this study, the particulate matter mass (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations we measured during May 2018–March 2019 in an urban atmosphere of Amman, Jordan. The results showed that the annual mean PM10 concentration was 64 ± 39 µg m–3 and the PM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.8 ± 0.2. According to the Jordanian Air Quality standards (JS-1140/2006), the observed PM10 annual mean value was below the limit value but that of the PM2.5 was three times higher than the corresponding limit value. However, both exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline values. In a larger perspective, the annual mean PM10 concentrations in Jordan were lower than what was reported in other cities in the Middle East but were higher when compared to other Mediterranean cities. During the measurement period, Jordan was affected by Sand and Dust Storm (SDS) episodes on 14 days. The source origins of these dust outbreaks were traced back to North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Levant. The 24-ho...
2020
Desert dust rising from the African region and covered very long distances with meteorological events can be an important source of pollution for many countries from time to time. Although dust and sand masses that remain in the atmosphere for a long time are known to be inert and stable, but studies show that they affect vegetative production by changes in precipitation and radiation regimes. It is important for natural phenomena and has also revealed their effects in regions over which the atmospheric transport occurs. The Sahara dust storm of mid-May 2020 has strongly, affected many European countries. The Sahara dust and hot air transport is reported over the Mediterranean region to the Balkans and further to Turkey. Depending on the climatic conditions, the Sahara dust may remain in some regions for longer period. Rainy and humid weather conditions slow down the flow of dust and increase the settling rate in that region. In such cases it creates mud-like precipitation accompany...
Modeled global effects of airborne desert dust on air quality and premature mortality
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2014
Fine particulate matter is one of the most important factors contributing to air pollution. Epidemiological studies have related increased levels of atmospheric particulate matter to premature human mortality caused by cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer. However, a limited number of investigations have focused on the contribution of airborne desert dust particles. Here we assess the effects of dust particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 µm (DU 2.5 ) on human mortality for the year 2005. We used the EMAC atmospheric-chemistry general circulation model at high resolution to simulate global atmospheric dust concentrations. We applied a health impact function to estimate premature mortality for the global population of 30 yr and older, using parameters from epidemiological studies. We estimate a global cardiopulmonary mortality of about 402 000 in 2005. The associated years of life lost are about 3.47 million per year. We estimate the global fraction of the cardiopulmonary deaths caused by atmospheric desert dust to be about 1.8 %, though in the 20 countries most affected by dust this is much higher, about 15-50 %. These countries are primarily found in the so-called "dust belt" from North Africa across the Middle East and South Asia to East Asia