29 / 67
27
Soils as a Source for Atmospheric Particles: Spatio-Temporal Impact on
Air Quality and Human Health in the Negev
Soils in arid and semi-arid zones are source areas for air pollution through
emissions of dust-sized particles into the atmosphere. Although the association
between environmental dust exposure and morbidity exists, our rudimentary
understanding of the relationships between soil-derived airborne particles
(SDAP), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and thus, socio-economic
consequences, dictates the need for innovative and interdisciplinary quantitative-
research into these issues. The overall objective of this research was to explore
the impact of chronic and acute exposure to SDAP on COPD in space and time in
the northern Negev. The Negev is located within the largest global dust belt and
experiences several intensive dust storms every year. The unique setting in which
all patients are treated by one hospital (Soroka) and one pulmonology clinic allows
us to perform a population based analysis with no subjects lost to follow-up.
In the first phase of the project we established an epidemiological (population-based)
association between dust storms and COPD exacerbations. The findings indicate that
this arid urban environment experiences high PM
10
levels whose origin lies in both
local and regional dust events. During the study period daily PM
10
concentrations
reached over 2,000μg/m
3
. An average daily net contribution of dust to PM
10
of
122μg/m
3
was calculated for the entire study period which exceeds theWHO guideline
(50μg/m
3
). We found a positive association between dust storms and the rate of
hospitalization for COPD exacerbation: (IRR=1.16, 95%CI, 1.08-1.24, p<0.001). The
effect increased with age and was higher in women.
In the second phase we prospectively investigated the association between individual
SDAP exposure and COPD parameters in the population of COPD patients. Real-time PM
2.5
and PM
10
levels were measured simultaneously in outdoor and indoor environments over
14 dust events. The results demonstrate that during the climax of dust storms the spatial
variations in PM can reach 400µg/m
3
between different locations in the city. Indoor
PM
10
and PM
2.5
levels reached very high concentrations of 1,855µg/m
3
and 566µg/m
3
,
respectively. More than 100 patients enrolled during the second phase. FEV1 values tend
to be lower in dust storm days but the data are still being analyzed.
The findings of the project allow linking specific health situations to source and
emission types, implementing methods for exposure and risk assessment (individual
and group levels), and assimilating natural resource management into development
activities. We anticipate that the outcome of the research will be helpful in creating
interventions and policies designed to reduce the phenomena while enhancing the
quality of life in the Negev.
Research publications
(1)
Katra, I., Arotsker, L., Krasnov, H., Zaritsky, A., Kushmaro, A., & Ben-Dov, E. (2014). Richness and diversity
in dust stormborne biomes at the southeast Mediterranean.
Scientific Reports, 4
, 5265. doi:10.1038/srep05265
(2)
Krasnov, H., Katra, I., Koutrakis, P., & Friger, M. (2014). Contribution of dust storms to PM
10
levels
in an urban arid environment.
Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 64
, 89-94.
(3)
Vodonos, A., Friger, M., Katra, I., Avnon, L., Krasnov, H., Koutrakis, P., Schwartz, J., Lior, O., & Novack,
V. (2014). The impact of desert dust exposure on hospitalization due to the exacerbation of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease.
Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health
. doi: 10.1007/s11869-014-0253-z
Itzhak Katra
1
Victor Novack
1,2
| Lone Avnon
2
Dan Blumberg
1
Michael Friger
1
Petros Koutrakis
3
1. Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev
2. Soroka University Medical
Center
3. Harvard University, USA
2011-2014
Multi-Year Research Grants