The Spatial Variation of Dust Particulate Matter Concentrations during Two Icelandic Dust Storms in 2015

Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova,Agnes Magnusdottir,Haraldur Olafsson,Olafur Arnalds

doi:10.3390/atmos7060077

Abstract

Particulate matter mass concentrations and size fractions of PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, and PM15 measured in transversal horizontal profile of two dust storms in southwestern Iceland are presented. Images from a camera network were used to estimate the visibility and spatial extent of measured dust events. Numerical simulations were used to calculate the total dust flux from the sources as 180,000 and 280,000 tons for each storm. The mean PM15 concentrations inside of the dust plumes varied from 10 to 1600 µg·m−3 (PM10 = 7 to 583 µg·m−3). The mean PM1 concentrations were 97–241 µg·m−3 with a maximum of 261 µg·m−3 for the first storm. The PM1/PM2.5 ratios of >0.9 and PM1/PM10 ratios of 0.34–0.63 show that suspension of volcanic materials in Iceland causes air pollution with extremely high PM1 concentrations, similar to polluted urban areas in Europe or Asia. Icelandic volcanic dust consists of a higher proportion of submicron particles compared to crustal dust. Both dust storms occurred in relatively densely inhabited areas of Iceland. First results on size partitioning of Icelandic dust presented here should challenge health authorities to enhance research in relation to dust and shows the need for public dust warning systems.

Highlights

Air pollution from natural sources accounts for a significant part of the total particulate matter pollution on Earth
A decrease of mixing layer height was associated with an increase of daily mortality while the effect of mixing layer thinning on particle toxicity was exacerbated when Saharan dust outbreaks occurred [7]
The spatial extent and particulate matter (PM) concentrations measured during the two dust storms are shown in spatial concentrations measured the plume two dust stormsfrom are shown in −3

Summary

Introduction

Several studies have shown that suspended desert dust can increase mortality hundreds of kilometers downwind from dust sources [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Some of these studies reported increased mortality for the PM2.5 dust particulate matter. A decrease of mixing layer height was associated with an increase of daily mortality while the effect of mixing layer thinning on particle toxicity was exacerbated when Saharan dust outbreaks occurred [7]. Positive associations between mass concentrations of larger sizes of particles, such as PM15 , were observed for cardiopulmonary and ischemic heart disease causes of death during the long-term studies on air pollution and mortality of the American Cancer Society [8].

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Results

Conclusion