Haifa Bay Area Research Articles

Associations of Adolescence Exposure to Industrial Air Pollution with Cancer in Young Adults.

There is substantial public concern about the health risks of proximity to petrochemical industries. In the Haifa Bay Area (HBA), which contains Israel's densest industrial area, these concerns have been strengthened by elevated cancer mortality rates since the late 1960s. We studied the association between adolescent exposure to industrial air pollution in the HBA and adult-onset cancer. This is a historical cohort study. The study population comprised 2,187,317 subjects, using the Israeli medical corps data linked to the Israel National Cancer Registry with follow-up of up to 45 years. Exposure assessments were estimated by a spatial kriging interpolation model of SO2, serving as a marker for the dispersion of air pollution emitted from the complex during the study period. We found increased crude (HR = 1.23, 95%CI= 1.17 to 1.29) and adjusted (HR = 1.16, 95%CI = 1.10 to 1.21) risk of cancer with increased exposure to air pollution in HBA. The associations remained robust in analyses stratified by decade and socio-economic status. We found evidence of monotonically increased risk in five of 13 cancer categories (leukemia, melanoma, female breast, central nervous system, and thyroid tumors). Our findings strengthen the hypothesis that this exposure posed a carcinogenic risk during the study period.

National blood bank services as a platform for national human biomonitoring - A proof-of-concept study.

BackgroundHuman biomonitoring (HBM) is crucial for identifying potential risks to human health from exposure to environmental hazards. However, it is an expensive and labor-intensive endeavor. To save on samples’ collection process we suggested using a national blood banking system as a platform for a national HBM program. For the case study, we used a comparison of blood donors from heavily industrialized Haifa Bay region, northern Israel, with donors from the rest of the country. MethodsThe study population comprised a random sample of blood donors donating blood all over Israel. Samples of whole blood were tested for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb). Donors’ donations sites and residential locations were geocoded. Smoking status was verified based on Cd levels, after calibrating their concentrations vs Cotinine in a sub-sample of 45 subjects. Metal concentrations were compared between regions using a lognormal regression, while controlling for age, gender, and predicted probability of smoking. ResultsDuring Mar 2020–Feb 2022, we collected 6230 and tested 911 samples. Concentrations of most of the metals were modified by age, gender, and smoking. Cr and Pb appeared to be 1.08–1.10 times higher among Haifa Bay residents than in the rest of the country (although with borderline significance of 0.069 for Cr). Cr and Pb were 1.13–1.15 times higher for those who donated blood in the Haifa Bay region, but not necessarily resided in the area. Donors from Haifa Bay had lower levels of As and Cd as compared to other donors in Israel. ConclusionsUsing a national blood banking system for HBM proved to be feasible and efficient. Blood donors from Haifa Bay area were characterized by elevated levels of Cr and Pb and lower levels of As and Cd. An extensive investigation of industries in the area is warranted.

Heterogenous Canopy in a Lagrangian-Stochastic Dispersion Model for Particulate Matter from Multiple Sources over the Haifa Bay Area

The Haifa Bay area (HBA) is a major metropolitan area in Israel, which consists of high volume transportation routes, major industrial complexes, and the largest international seaport in Israel. These, which lie relatively near densely populated residential areas, result in a multitude of air pollution sources, many of whose emissions are in the form of particulate matter (PM). Previous studies have associated exposure to such PM with adverse health effects. This potential consequence serves as the motivation for this study whose aim is to provide a realistic and detailed three-dimensional concentration field of PM, originating simultaneously from multiple sources. The IIBR in-house Lagrangian stochastic pollutant dispersion model (LSM) is suitable for this endeavor, as it describes the dispersion of a scalar by solving the velocity fluctuations in high Reynolds number flows. Moreover, the LSM was validated in urban field experiments, including in the HBA. However, due to the fact that the multiple urban sources reside within the canopy layer, it was necessary to integrate into the LSM a realistic canopy layer model that depicts the actual effect of the roughness elements’ drag on the flow and turbulent exchange of the urban morphology. This was achieved by an approach which treats the canopy as patches of porous media. The LSM was used to calculate the three-dimensional fields of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations during the typical conditions of the two workday rush-hour periods. These were compared to three air quality monitoring stations located downstream of the PM sources in the HBA. The LSM predictions for PM2.5 satisfy all acceptance criteria. Regarding the PM10 predictions, the LSM results comply with three out of four acceptance criteria. The analysis of the calculated concentration fields has shown that the PM concentrations up to 105 m AGL exhibit a spatial pattern similar to the ground level. However, it decreases by a factor of two at 45 m AGL, while, at 105 m, the concentration values are close to the background concentrations.

Residence near industrial complex and cancer incidence: A registry-based cohort of 1,022,637 participants with a follow-up of 21 years, Israel

BackgroundIndustrial complex (IC) residence is associated with higher cancer incidence in adults and children. However, the effect on young adults and the residence duration are not well described. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Haifa bay area (HBA) has a major IC area with petrochemical industry complex and many other industries. The objectives of the current study were to estimate the association between IC residence and cancer incidence and to evaluate the effect of the residence duration. MethodsThis study is a registry-based cohort (N = 1,022,637) with a follow-up of 21 years. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the associations (hazards ratios (HR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) between HBA residence and incidence of all cancer sites (n = 62,049) and for site-specific cancer types including: lung cancer (n = 5398), bladder cancer (n = 3790), breast cancer (n = 11,310), prostate cancer (n = 6389) skin cancer (n = 4651), pancreatic cancer (n = 2144) and colorectal cancer (n = 8675). We evaluated the effect of the duration of exposure as categories of 7 years for those with 15 years of follow-up. ResultsIC residence was associated with higher risk for all cancer sites (HR:1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.12), for site-specific cancer incidence including: lung cancer (HR:1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.23), bladder cancer (HR:1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23), breast cancer (HR:1.04, 95% CI: 0.98–1.10), prostate cancer (HR:1.07, 95% CI: 0.99–1.16), skin cancer (HR:1.22, 95% CI: 1.12–1.33) and colorectal cancer (HR:1.10, 95%CI: 1.03–1.17). Similar risk was also observed among young adults (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00–1.20). In the analyses for the duration of exposure, IC residence was associated with higher risk for all cancer site for the longest residence duration (15–21 years: HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04–1.13). ConclusionsHarmful associations were found between IC residence and incidence of all cancer sites and site-specific cancers types. Our findings add to the limited evidence of associations between IC residence and cancer in young adults.

Associations between Exposure to Industrial Air Pollution and Prevalence of Asthma and Atopic Diseases in Haifa Bay Area

Haifa Bay Area (HBA) contains Israel’s principal industrial area, and there are substantial public concerns about health effects from its emissions. We aimed to examine associations between exposure to air pollution from HBA industrial area with prevalent asthma and other atopic diseases at age 17. This is a cross-sectional study. The study population included all adolescents born in Israel and whose medical status was evaluated for mandatory military recruitment by the Israeli medical corps during 1967–2017. We analyzed prevalent asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and rhinoconjunctivitis. We estimated exposure to industrial air pollution by a kriging interpolation of historical SO2 observations and adjusted the associations to the year of birth, SES, school orientation, and traffic pollution. The study population included n = 2,523,745 adolescents, among which 5.9% had prevalent asthma and 4.6% had allergic rhinitis. Residency in HBA was associated with a higher adjusted risk of asthma, compared with non-HBA residency. Still, this association was limited to the three lowest exposure categories, while the highest exposure group had the lowest adjusted risk. Sensitivity analyses and other atopic diseases presented similar results. These results do not provide support for causal relationships between HBA industry-related emissions and prevalent atopic diseases.

The Micrometeorology of the Haifa Bay Area and Mount Carmel during the Summer

The Haifa bay area (HBA), which includes Mount Carmel and the Zevulun valley is the third largest metropolitan area in Israel. It is also a centre of heavy industry and an important transportation hub which serve as sources of local anthropogenic pollution. Such sources are associated with adverse health effects. In order to estimate the possible exposure of the inhabitants in such heterogeneous orographic area, a detailed atmospheric transport and dispersion modelling study is required, which in turn must take into account the local micrometeorology. The aim of this study is to conduct a spatio-temporal analysis of the flow field in the HBA in order to identify the common patterns of the average wind and characterize the statistical parameters of turbulence in this area, essential for detailed pollutants dispersion modelling. This study analyses data collected during four months of summer in a network of 16 weather stations which extend across Mount Carmel and the Zevulun valley. It was found that, during the evening and night time on Mount Carmel, different flow patterns may develop on each side, separated by the watershed line. When such conditions do not develop, as well as during the daytime, the wind field, both on Mount Carmel and the Zevulun valley is approximately homogenous. The analysis of the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory functions for the velocity standard deviations show a distinct difference between Mount Carmel and the Zevulun valley, as well as between strong and weak winds. This difference can be clearly seen also in the diurnal hourly distribution of atmospheric stabilities which exhibit higher proportions of unstable conditions in the Zevulun valley during day time and higher proportion of stable stratifications at the Mount Carmel during night-time.

Seismic Energy Release from Intra-Basin Sources along the Dead Sea Transform and Its Influence on Regional Ground Motions

ABSTRACTThe Dead Sea Transform (DST) dominates the seismicity of Israel and neighboring countries. Whereas the instrumental catalog of Israel (1986–2017) contains mainly M<5 events, the preinstrumental catalog lists 14 M 7 or stronger events on the DST, during the past two millennia. Global Positioning System measurements show that the slip deficit in northern Israel today is equivalent to M>7 earthquake. This situation highlights the possibility that a strong earthquake may strike north Israel in the near future, raising the importance of ground-motion prediction.Deep and narrow strike-slip basins accompany the DST. Here, we study ground motions produced by intrabasin seismic sources, to understand the basin effect on regional ground motions. We model seismic-wave propagation in 3D, focusing on scenarios of Mw 6 earthquakes, rupturing different active branches of the DST. The geological model includes the major structures in northern Israel: the strike-slip basins along the DST, the sedimentary basins accompanying the Carmel fault zone, and the densely populated and industrialized Zevulun Valley (Haifa Bay area).We show that regional ground motions are determined by source–path coupling effects in the strike-slip basins, before waves propagate into the surrounding areas. In particular, ground motions are determined by the location of the rupture nucleation within the basin, the near-rupture lithology, and the basin’s local structure. When the rupture is located in the crystalline basement or along material bridges connecting opposite sides of the fault, ground motions behave predictably, decaying due to geometrical spreading and locally amplified atop sedimentary basins. By contrast, if rupture nucleates or propagates into shallow sedimentary units of the DST strike-slip basins, ground motions are amplified within, before propagating outside. Repeated reflections from the basin walls result in a “resonant chamber” effect, leading to stronger regional ground motions with prolonged durations.

Human Biologic Monitoring based on blood donations to the NationalBlood Services: example of comparing an industrial area with a general population in Israel

The ambient exposure does not always reflect the internal levels of pollution absorbed in the body. While human biomonitoring (HBM) could provide a valid estimate of exposure extent, it is usually an expensive and a heavily manpowered enterprise. Using samples collected during blood donations for HMB may provide a more efficient platform for a routine biomonitoring. The current study is aimed to explore the feasibility of using the national blood banking system for the purposes of HBM, to compare between residents of a suspected polluted area in northern Israel (Haifa Bay) to the rest of the country. Specifically, we will assemble a geographically representative sample of blood donors residing in the study area and match them with the general population, to testfor four industry or traffic-related metals: Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr). Furthermore, we will measure the association between biomarkers and ambient environmental exposures. Samples of whole blood from donors will be tested in the Laboratory of Public Health Services managed by the Ministry of Health. The information on donors' biomarkers levels will be linked with the air pollution and meteorological data assessed at the location of the blood collection sites (short-term exposure) and donors' permanent address (long-term exposure), as recorded by both the monitoring stations spread throughout Israel and the satellite-based exposure models. The information collected in this study could lead to environmental regulations within Haifa Bay area aimed to prevent exposure to high levels of hazardous chemicals.

Trapped Low Frequency Waves on the Northern Israeli Continental Shelf

AbstractTime series of sea level measurements from different instruments deployed around the Haifa Bay area are analyzed. All observations indicate the existence of persistent low frequency oscillations with periods corresponding to approximately 1 hour and to approximately 30 minutes. These oscillations are persistent throughout most of the year and reached maximal wave heights of around 30 cm, a comparable value to tidal variations, making these oscillations an important factor in determining the average sea level elevation. The work identifies the phenomenon as resonant trapped waves, which are normal modes of the continental shelf extending from Haifa promontory to Achziv Canyon. Their temporal and spatial characteristics are learned through field measurement data analysis, wavelet analysis, numerical simulations, and exploration of an analytic solution. Finally, possible mechanisms for the generation of these waves are discussed. Such waves, which are commonly not surveyed, can be an important factor affecting coastal dynamics such as breaker line and coast line locations. Furthermore, the resonance behavior found has the capability of increasing the deep‐to‐shallow amplitudes in up to two orders of magnitude depending on incident angle. Noting that seismic or atmospheric events can agitate oscillation with similar wave periods, the intensification poses a hazard to Haifa Bay and coastal area.

Human biologic monitoring based on blood donations to the National Blood Services

BackgroundThe ambient exposure does not always reflect the internal levels of pollution absorbed in the body. While human biomonitoring (HBM) could provide a valid estimate of exposure extent, it is usually an expensive and a heavily manpowered enterprise. Using samples collected during blood donations for HMB may provide a more efficient platform for a routine biomonitoring.MethodsThe current study is aimed to explore the feasibility of using the national blood banking system for the purposes of HBM, to compare between residents of a suspected polluted area in northern Israel (Haifa Bay) to the rest of the country. Specifically, we will assemble a geographically representative sample of blood donors residing in the study area and of the general population, to test for four industry and traffic-related metals: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr). Samples of whole blood from donors will be tested in the Laboratory of Public Health Services managed by the Ministry of Health. The information on donors’ biomarkers levels will be further linked with the air pollution and meteorological data assessed at the location of the blood collection sites (short-term exposure) and donors’ permanent address (long-term exposure), as recorded by the monitoring stations spread throughout Israel and the satellite-based exposure models. The association between biomarkers and ambient environmental exposures will be assessed.The samples’ collection is planned for 2 years of 2020–2021.DiscussionThe information collected in this study could lead to environmental regulations within Haifa Bay area aimed to prevent exposure to high levels of hazardous chemicals.

Exposure to ambient volatile organic compounds in an area with excess cancer and asthma morbidity

TPS 671: Cardiometabolic effects of long-term air pollution exposure, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: The Haifa Bay Area (HBA) has been documented to experience relatively high morbidity from asthma and cancer. Previously, association with emissions from industrial facilities in the HBA has been examined. However, ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) are lower in HBA than in other districts (such as the Tel-Aviv area). It has been proposed that this discrepancy may possibly result from unmeasured concentrations of certain volatile organic compounds and/or heavy metals, which are uniquely emitted by industrial facilities and are not characteristic of traffic, such as 1,2-dichloroethane and Isoamyl alcohol. A list of such compounds was formulated by the regulatory bodies and bi-weekly measurements began in 2015. Methods: Data on 25 distinct pollutants was collected from 30 locations spread within and outside of HBA. The measurements were generally performed on a bi-weekly basis from the start of 2015 until the end of 2018. The annual mean measurements within HBA were compared to those in other regions using a Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: A preliminary analysis indicates that there are significantly lower concentrations of butadiene, benzo(a)pyrene, and trichloroethylene in HBA than in other regions. The only pollutant whose concentrations seem to be significantly higher in HBA is particulate vanadium, which is commonly emitted into the atmosphere by metallurgical industries, oil refineries and the combustion of fossil fuels. No significant differences were found in the concentrations of the remaining 21 pollutants. Conclusion: The excess morbidity in the HBA was not found to be related to ambient air pollution. Future research of this issue should perhaps focus on indoor exposures and explanatory variables rather than on ambient air pollution.

Spatial identification of environmental health hazards potentially associated with adverse birth outcomes.

Reduced birth weight (RBW) and reduced head circumference (RHC) are adverse birth outcomes (ABOs), often linked to environmental exposures. However, spatial identification of specific health hazards, associated with these ABOs, is not always straightforward due to presence of multiple health hazards and sources of air pollution in urban areas. In this study, we test a novel empirical approach to the spatial identification of environmental health hazards potentially associated with the observed RHC and RBW patterns. The proposed approach is implemented as a systematic search, according to which alternative candidate locations are ranked based on the strength of association with the observed birth outcome patterns. For empirical validation, we apply this approach to the Haifa Bay Area (HBA) in Israel, which is characterized by multiple health hazards and numerous sources of air pollution. We identified a spot in the local industrial zone as the main risk source associated with the observed RHC and RBW patterns. Multivariate regressions, controlling for personal, neighborhood, and geographic factors, revealed that the relative risks of RHC and RBW tend to decline, other things being equal, as a function of distance from the identified industrial spot. We recommend the proposed identification approach as a preliminary risk assessment tool for environmental health studies, in which detailed information on specific sources of air pollution and air pollution dispersion patterns is unavailable due to limited reporting or insufficient monitoring.

Environmental risk factors associated with low birth weight: The case study of the Haifa Bay Area in Israel

BackgroundLow birth weight (LBW) is known to be associated with infant mortality and postnatal health complications. Previous studies revealed strong relationships between LBW rate and several socio-demographic factors, including ethnicity, maternal age, and family income. However, studies of association between LBW rate and environmental risk factors remain infrequent. Study methodsWe retrieved a geo-referenced data set, containing 7216 individual records of children born in 2015 in the Haifa Bay Area in Israel. Using this dataset, we analysed factors affecting LBW prevalence by applying two alternative techniques: analysis of LBW rates in small census area (SCAs) and more recently developed double kernel density (DKD) relative risk (RR) estimates. ResultsIn the SCA models, LBW rate was found to be associated with proximity to petrochemical industries (B=−0.26, 95%CI=−0.30, −0.22), road density (B=0.05, 95%CI=0.02, 0.08), distance to the seashore (B=0.17, 95%CI=0.14, 0.22), PM2.5 (B=0.06, 95%CI=0.04, 0.09) and NOx (B=0.10, 95%CI=0.06, 0.13) exposure estimates. Although similar factors emerged in the DKD models as well, in most cases, the effects of these factors in the latter models were found to be stronger: proximity to petrochemical industries (B=−0.48, 95%CI= −0.51, −0.30), road density (B=0.05, 95%CI=0.02, 0.08), distance to the seashore (B=0.24, 95%CI=0.21, 0.27), PM2.5 (B=0.08, 95%CI=0.05, 0.10) and NOx (B=0.20, 95%CI=0.17, 0.23) exposure estimates. In addition, elevation above the sea level was found to be statistically significant in spatial dependence models estimated for both DKD and SCA rates (P < 0.01). ConclusionThe analysis revealed an excess LBW rate in residential areas located close to petrochemical industries and a protective effect of seashore proximity and elevation above the sea level on the LBW rate. We attribute the latter finding to the moderating effect of elevated seashore locations on outdoor temperatures during the hot summer season.

Physically-Sound Air Pollution Regression Modelling with a Heterogeneous Wind Field

Background/Aim: Detailed physical and chemical modelling of ambient pollutants transport is complex and requires extensive data and effort. Moreover, the output of such models often contain large errors. Alternatively, land use regression is often used but is limited as it lacks incorporation of the wind field – the single most influential parameter on pollutant dispersion. This work integrates a 1x1km data-driven meteorological model with a non-linear regression scheme and produces pollutant concentration maps at a high spatiotemporal resolution. We applied this model to estimate ambient NOx at the mountainous terrain of the Haifa Bay area, Israel. Methods: This work enhances the previously developed Optimized Dispersion Model (ODM), replacing the euclidean distance between grid points with the newly formulated Shortest Wind-Path Distance (SWPD). We used Dijkstra’s algorithm to determine the wind direction affected SWPD between each two grid points at each time-point. We use the calibrated model to estimate the relative influence of each sector (traffic, industry) on the observed NOx levels across the whole study area. Data on point source emissions was obtained from the Israeli Pollutant Release and Transfer Registry, while detailed traffic emissions proxies were obtained from aggregated vehicle-fleet GPS tracking. Results: Complete leave-one-out cross-validation showed that the new model performs better than a previous ODM version and a benchmark geo-interpolation model. Model performance improved greatly for increasing time-averaging windows (i.e. the mean spatial Pearson correlation was 0.3 based on half-hourly measurements and 0.8 for the yearly mean). Traffic was shown to have the major contribution to observed ambient NOx in the study area, although industrial NOx emissions are much greater than traffic-induced emissions. Conclusions: The new data-driven yet physically sound ODM air quality model enables much better exposure estimation for epidemiological research. Unlike other models, the new model can be applied in areas characterized by a heterogeneous wind field.

The role of transport processes of particulate mercury in modifying marine anthropogenic secondary sources, the case of Haifa bay, Israel

We have assessed the redistribution of a secondary source of sedimentary anthropogenic mercury in the Haifa bay (HB) area (SE Levantine basin), which is the northern sink for Nile-driven sand. A long-term (30years) ~80% decrease of the total sedimentary mercury concentrations (THg) was recorded in the inner bay, while an up to 3-fold increase was recorded in the top sediments of the outer bay. Sedimentary THg depth profiles and their temporal variability were used to model the main re-distribution processes, mainly resuspension associated with winter storm-derived transport. This mechanism transforms a secondary, sandy and well-aerated sink into a tertiary, more silty and hypoxic source at adjacent peripheral areas, affecting mercury bioavailability. We revisited the concept of environmental relaxation, i.e. the rate of return of a polluted environment to an acceptable state, showing that sedimentary transport processes may affect the associated ecological risks, mainly at shallow-water coastal sites.

Between knowledge of landscape production and representation

Between knowledge of landscape production and representation

First record of two seaweeds from the Israeli Mediterranean: &lt;i&gt;Galaxaura rugosa&lt;/i&gt; (J. Ellis and Solander) J. V. Lamouroux (Rhodophyta) and &lt;i&gt;Codium adhaerens&lt;/i&gt; C. Agardh (Chlorophyta)

Two marine macroalgae have recently been identified using drift algal material collected in the Haifa Bay area, Israel. The first is the red seaweed Galaxaura rugosa, first seen south of Haifa Bay during November 2003 and observed thereafter both within seaweeds washed ashore and at 2-4 m deep within the subtidal zone. Galaxaura rugosa was previously described in the Lebanese coasts; therefore its distribution within the Israeli Mediterranean is expected to be far more extensive. The second is the green seaweed Codium adhaerens, which was collected along the northern shores of Haifa Bay during September-October 2007.

Allocation of Routinely Monitored Mixing Ratios of Nitrogen Oxides to Their Sources

In many urban areas throughout the world, the rising mean and peak levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) are a concern. Road traffic and local industry are usually the major NOx sources in urban environments, buttheir relative contributions to the spatial distribution of the NOx volumetric mixing ratio is normally unknown. This missing piece of information is required for designing effective abatement measures to reduce ambient NOx levels. A new method for estimating the shares of which traffic and industry contribute to the mean ambient NOx mixing ratios observed in urban environments is proposed in this paper. The estimation is based on data obtained by routine air pollution monitoring, using a few assumptions aboutthe temporal emission patterns of NOx and SO2 in the area of study. A set of equations is formulated for the unknown industry and traffic contributions to the NOx mixing ratios at each monitoring site. These equations are solved using the gradient projection optimization method. The bootstrap technique is used to estimate the errors in the process. Spatial maps of the separate shares of industry and traffic in the total ambient NOx levels can be obtained where a sufficient aerial coverage of stations is available. An application of the method to the allocation of NOx mixing ratios to traffic and industrial sources in the Haifa Bay area, Israel, is demonstrated. The results are expected to be useful for future planning of traffic thoroughfares and industrial development in the area.

Holocene evolution of the Haifa Bay area, Israel, and its influence on ancient tell settlements

The geographical evolution of Haifa Bay and Zevulun Plain, Israel, from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene, is based on detailed analysis of drilled cores. At the beginning of the Holocene the Bay area was still under terrestrial conditions. Only about 9500 to 9000 cal. yr BP, when sea level rose to about 35-30 m below present sea level (b.s.l.), did Nile-derived sand start to bypass the Carmel headland and Haifa Bay come into existence as a morphological feature. Between 8000 and 7150 cal. yr BP, when sea level was 14-10 m b.s.l., the invading sea crossed the present-day coastline. At about 6800 to 6600 cal. yr BP sea level rose to about 5 m b.s.l. and flooded the Zevulun Plain up to 2 km inland, and the River Qishon estuary up to 4 km inland. It is still unknown exactly when the sea reached its maximum penetration inland but later, about 4000 years ago, the coastline in the research area was still east of the present-day coast, up to 3 km in the Zevulun Plain and 4.8 km in the River Qishon estuary. When the coastline started to retreat westward, the reclamation was followed by intensive deposition of shallow marine sand and aeolian dunes, while to the east, different wetland conditions developed. The archaeological data indicate that during the Early Bronze Age I and Early Bronze Age II, dated to between 5600 and 4700 cal. yr BP, and even later, during the Middle Bronze Age II period, about 4600 to 3500 cal. yr BP, the coastline was still east of the present-day coast, but it never actually reached the bases of most of the tells, as has been suggested, except for Tel Akko and Tel Abu Hawam.

High-resolution spatial patterns of long-term mean concentrations of air pollutants in Haifa Bay area

High-resolution maps of the mean concentrations of SO 2 , NO, NO 2 , O 3 , and PM 10 in the period 2002–2004 were produced using half-hourly data from the local air quality monitoring network in Haifa Bay area, Israel. The network consists of 20 monitoring stations within an area of 206 km 2 , which encompasses a major industrial and power generation centre in the midst of a population of about 500 000. The pollutants’ spatial features agree well with their known sources and the expected dispersion by the prevailing meteorology. The ranking of their spatial variations agree with published observations on larger spatial scales. The high-resolution maps capture in a small spatial scale the NO x and O 3 cycle relationships expected by theory, and previously observed by analyses of monitoring time series. High correlation was found between the spatial patterns of the PM 10 , NO x and O 3 , whereas the correlation between the spatial features of the PM 10 and SO 2 is low. This suggests that the traffic, a major source of NO x , rather than industry, the major source of SO 2 , is the main contributor to the anthropogenic PM 10 in the study area. This inference is corroborated by the low sulphur to nitrogen ratio throughout the region, which is typical of traffic-dominated pollution. A general conclusion drawn from this study is that high-resolution monitoring and mapping can significantly contribute to air quality management programmes in terms of both pollution abatement and exposure and risk assessment.