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==Atmospheric== [[File:Imported Dust in North American Skies.ogv|thumb|Presentation on imported dust in North American skies]] [[File:Dust storm over Libya.jpg|thumb|Large dust storm over [[Libya]]]] Atmospheric or wind-borne [[fugitive dust]], also known as ''aeolian dust'', comes from dry regions where high-speed winds can remove mostly silt-sized material, abrading susceptible surfaces. This includes areas where [[grazing]], [[plough]]ing, [[vehicle]] use, and other [[human behavior]]s have further destabilized the [[land]], though not all source areas have been largely affected by [[Human impact on the environment|anthropogenic impacts]].<ref name="onlinelibrary.wiley.com">{{Cite journal|last1=Middleton|first1=N. J.|last2=Goudie|first2=A. S.|date=June 2001|title=Saharan dust: Sources and trajectories|journal=[[Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers]]|location=London|volume=26|issue=2|pages=165–181|doi=10.1111/1475-5661.00013|bibcode=2001TrIBG..26..165M |issn=0020-2754}}</ref> Dust-producing surfaces cover one-third of the global land area. These are made up of [[desert|hyper-arid regions]] like the [[Sahara]], which covers 0.9 billion hectares, and [[drylands]], which occupy 5.2 billion hectares.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Jickells|first1=T. D.|last2=An|first2=Z. S.|last3=Andersen|first3=K. K.|last4=Baker|first4=A. R.|last5=Bergametti|first5=G.|last6=Brooks|first6=N.|last7=Cao|first7=J. J.|last8=Boyd|first8=P. W.|last9=Duce|first9=R. A.|last10=Hunter|first10=K. A.|last11=Kawahata|first11=H.|date=April 1, 2005|title=Global Iron Connections Between Desert Dust, Ocean Biogeochemistry, and Climate|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]]|volume=308|issue=5718|pages=67–71|bibcode=2005Sci...308...67J|citeseerx=10.1.1.686.1063|doi=10.1126/science.1105959|pmid=15802595|first12=N.|last19=Torres|first19=R.|first18=I.|last12=Kubilay|last18=Tegen|first17=A. J.|last17=Ridgwell|first16=J. M.|last16=Prospero|first15=N.|last15=Mahowald|first14=P. S.|last14=Liss|first13=J.|last13=Laroche|s2cid=16985005 }}</ref> Dust in the atmosphere is produced by [[saltation (geology)|saltation]] and [[Abrasive blasting|abrasive sandblasting]] of sand-sized grains, and it is transported through the [[troposphere]]. This airborne dust is considered an [[Particulate|aerosol]], and once in the atmosphere, it can produce strong local [[radiative forcing]]. Saharan dust, in particular, can be transported and deposited as far as the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Amazon basin]] and may affect air [[temperature]], cause ocean cooling, and alter rainfall amounts.<ref name="onlinelibrary.wiley.com"/> ===Middle East=== Dust in the Middle East has been a historic phenomenon. Recently, because of [[climate change]] and the escalating process of [[desertification]], the problem has worsened dramatically. As a multi-factor phenomenon, there is not yet a clear consensus on the sources or potential solutions to the problem. ====Iran==== The dust in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]] are migratory systems that move from west to east or east to west in the spring and have the highest intensity, concentration, and extent until mid-summer. The causes of their occurrence are the lack of humidity, dry environment, low rainfall, and annual droughts. Due to the decrease of rainfall in areas such as Iraq and Syria, most of the dust in Iran also originates from the regions of Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.<ref name="Dust in Iran"/> In addition to the foreign foci, there are areas inside the country that have either formed new dust foci in recent years or were from the past and their extent has increased. Among these areas, parts of southern [[Tehran]], south of [[Alborz province]] – which in the past were plains, riverbeds, seasonal lakes, and seasonal reservoirs – and [[Gavkhouni|Gavkhoni wetland]] of [[Isfahan province]] can be mentioned because they have become dry and prone to dust. Among other areas that have become dust centers, [[Qom province]], the Qom salt lake and its surroundings can be mentioned, as well as the [[Lake Urmia|Urmia lake]], which due to strong winds and due to the dryness of the lake and the reduction of its size, some areas of its bed which were underwater in the past are subject to wind erosion.<ref name="Dust in Iran">{{cite news |title=Continuity of dust in the country |script-title=fa: تداوم گرد و غبار در کشور |url=https://www.tabnak.ir/004yKs |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=Tabnak |publisher=Tabnak |date=28 July 2023 |language=Persian |archive-date=20 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520021511/https://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/1185246/%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D8%BA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In Iran, the dust directly affects more than 5 million people and has become a serious government issue recently. In the [[Khuzestan province]], it has led to the severe increase of [[air pollution]]. The amount of [[pollutant]]s in the air has surpassed more than 50 times the normal level several times in a year. Recently, initiatives such as Project-Dust have been established to study dust in the Middle East directly.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} The continuation of drought has caused water scarcity or drying up of some wetlands and lakes such as [[Hamun Lake|Hamon]] and [[Urmia Lake]]. This has turned them into centers of dust.<ref name="Dust in Iran"/> Director General of the Office of Desert Affairs of Iran's Natural Resources and Watershed Organization stated that according to the data of the 2018 studies, 30 million hectares of land in the country are affected by wind erosion, and 14 million hectares of this area are considered to be the focal points of wind erosion, which causes serious damage to infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |title=What is the key to effectively deal with dust in the country? |url=https://www.tabnak.ir/004yKs |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=Tabnak |publisher=Tabnak |date=28 July 2023 |language=Persian |quote=کد خبر:۱۱۸۵۲۴۶ |archive-date=20 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520021511/https://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/1185246/%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%88-%D8%BA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Roads=== {{main|Road debris}} Dust kicked up by vehicles traveling on [[road]]s is a significant source of harmful [[air pollution]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Khan |first1=Raihan K. |last2=Strand |first2=Mark A. |title=Road dust and its effect on human health: a literature review |journal=Epidemiology and Health |date=10 April 2018 |volume=40 |pages=e2018013 |doi=10.4178/epih.e2018013 |pmid=29642653 |pmc=5968206 |issn=2092-7193}}</ref> Road dust consists of deposits of vehicle and industrial [[exhaust gas]], particles from [[tire]] and [[brake]] wear, [[construction dust|dust]] from paved roads or [[pothole]]s, and dust from [[construction]] sites. Road dust is a significant contributor to the generation and release of [[particulates]] into the atmosphere.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 23, 2006|title=Environment Canada – Pollution and Waste – Tracking Pollution in Canada|url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri/consultations/2006/Road_Dust_e.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060924014341/http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri/consultations/2006/Road_Dust_e.cfm|archive-date=September 24, 2006|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=The Green Lane}}</ref> Control of road dust is a significant challenge in [[urban area]]s, and also in other locations with high levels of vehicular traffic upon unsealed roads, such as mines and [[landfill]]s. "Engine exhaust emissions, especially from those operating on diesel fuel, can be a significant source of fine particle generation from construction sites." Construction and [[demolition]] activities can also produce a large amount of [[construction waste]]. The dust and [[particulates]] can become [[fugitive dust| fugitive]] and airborne with [[vehicle]] movements both on and outside the sites, especially when it is windy and dry.<ref name=rbkcgovuk>{{cite web | url=https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/pdf/Document%2012%20-%20BRE%20-%20Control%20of%20Dust%20from%20Construction%20&%20Demolition%20Activities.pdf | title=Control of dust from construction and demolition activities | page=12-22 | access-date=4 Feb 2025}}</ref> Road dust may be suppressed by mechanical methods like [[street sweeper]], vehicles equipped with [[vacuum cleaner]]s,<ref>{{Cite conference|last1=Peel|first1=G.|last2=Michielen|first2=M.|last3=Parker|first3=G.|title=2001 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics. Proceedings (Cat. No.01TH8556) |date=July 8–12, 2001|chapter=Some aspects of road sweeping vehicle automation|conference=2001 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics|location=[[Como]]|publisher=[[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]]|volume=1|pages=337–342|doi=10.1109/AIM.2001.936477|isbn=978-0-7803-6736-4}}</ref> [[vegetable oil]] sprays,<ref name="usroads.com">{{cite web|date=June 1, 1998|title=Questions and Answers: Road Dust Control with Soapstock-A Soybean Oil By- Product|url=http://www.usroads.com/journals/rmej/9806/rm980604.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403024953/http://www.usroads.com/journals/rmej/9806/rm980604.htm|archive-date=April 3, 2018|access-date=May 17, 2021|publisher=Usroads.com}}</ref> or with water sprayers. [[Calcium chloride#Road surfacing|Calcium chloride]] can be used. Improvements in [[automotive engineering]] have reduced the amount of [[Particulates#Size, shape and solubility matter|PM<sub>10</sub>s]] produced by road traffic; the proportion representing re-suspension of existing particulates has increased as a result.
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