Contribution of dust storms to PM10 levels in an urban arid environment

Dust storms significantly elevate PM10 levels in urban arid environments, contributing an average net increase of 122 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) daily in Beer-Sheva, Israel, between 2001 and 2012. The study identified dust days using a 'dust-free' season baseline threshold of 71 µg/m³, revealing that over 10% of daily PM10 concentrations exceeded this value annually. Analysis of intense storms (hourly averages of 1000–5197 µg/m³) showed the strongest events occurred predominantly in the last three years of the study period. These findings highlight the dual impact of local and regional dust sources on air quality, suggesting potential links to environmental changes like global warming and desertification that may exacerbate pollution risks to human health.

Krasnov, H., Katra, I., Koutrakis, P., & Friger, M. D. (2013). Contribution of dust storms to PM₁₀ levels in an urban arid environment. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 64(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2013.841599