Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait
The Middle East is a hot spot of dust, and there are reports of as much as 1400 µg m<sup>−3</sup> of dust in aerosols from Kuwait, which is among some of the highest dust loadings globally. A significant volume of literature has emerged on dust–air-quality–human-health, and the World Hea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/3/470 |
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| author | Saif Uddin Nazima Habibi Scott W. Fowler Montaha Behbehani Bondi Gevao Mohammad Faizuddin Aysun Ugur Gorgun |
| author_facet | Saif Uddin Nazima Habibi Scott W. Fowler Montaha Behbehani Bondi Gevao Mohammad Faizuddin Aysun Ugur Gorgun |
| author_sort | Saif Uddin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Middle East is a hot spot of dust, and there are reports of as much as 1400 µg m<sup>−3</sup> of dust in aerosols from Kuwait, which is among some of the highest dust loadings globally. A significant volume of literature has emerged on dust–air-quality–human-health, and the World Health Organization in its recent air quality guidelines has lowered the limit of annual PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure to 5 μg m<sup>−3</sup> from the previous limit of 10 μg m<sup>−3</sup>. We present a mini-review based on a screening and search of the published data generated in Kuwait on contaminants associated with dust in different size fractions. We also include an unpublished study on organic contaminants in size-fractionated aerosols. The ΣPAHs concentrations in all the six size fractions range between 570 and 3350 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. The ∑PBDE concentration ranges from ~2 to 1307 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. The average <sup>210</sup>Po activity in aerosol size classes varies between 2289 and 2581 Bq kg<sup>−1</sup>. The average <sup>210</sup>Pb concentration varies between 352 and 412 Bq kg<sup>−1</sup>. The MP inventory in Kuwait’s outdoor aerosol is between 5 and 35 MP in 815 ± 5 m<sup>3</sup> of air. The bacterial load in outdoor aerosols is between 6.05 × 10<sup>3</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup> and 1.24 × 10<sup>8</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup>. The fungal load ranges between 2.11 × 10<sup>2</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup> and 2.66 × 10<sup>6</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup>. The data suggest that the inhalable fraction of <2.5 µm size contains high concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), <sup>210</sup>Po, <sup>210</sup>Pb, microplastics, and microbes. These enriched ultrafine aerosols pose a significant risk to human health. The review also highlights the scarcity of contaminant data in respirable and inhalable size fractions that are critical for a comprehensive inhalation risk assessment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:56:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5e47602c58c844e3b4f977297756f44d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:56:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-5e47602c58c844e3b4f977297756f44d2023-11-17T09:32:09ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-02-0114347010.3390/atmos14030470Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from KuwaitSaif Uddin0Nazima Habibi1Scott W. Fowler2Montaha Behbehani3Bondi Gevao4Mohammad Faizuddin5Aysun Ugur Gorgun6Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, KuwaitEnvironment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, KuwaitSchool of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, USAEnvironment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat 13109, KuwaitEnvironment Protection Agency, Freetown, Sierra LeoneGulf Geoinformation Solutions, Sharjah P.O. Box 49590, United Arab EmiratesInstitute of Nuclear Sciences, Ege University, Izmir 35040, TürkiyeThe Middle East is a hot spot of dust, and there are reports of as much as 1400 µg m<sup>−3</sup> of dust in aerosols from Kuwait, which is among some of the highest dust loadings globally. A significant volume of literature has emerged on dust–air-quality–human-health, and the World Health Organization in its recent air quality guidelines has lowered the limit of annual PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure to 5 μg m<sup>−3</sup> from the previous limit of 10 μg m<sup>−3</sup>. We present a mini-review based on a screening and search of the published data generated in Kuwait on contaminants associated with dust in different size fractions. We also include an unpublished study on organic contaminants in size-fractionated aerosols. The ΣPAHs concentrations in all the six size fractions range between 570 and 3350 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. The ∑PBDE concentration ranges from ~2 to 1307 pg m<sup>−3</sup>. The average <sup>210</sup>Po activity in aerosol size classes varies between 2289 and 2581 Bq kg<sup>−1</sup>. The average <sup>210</sup>Pb concentration varies between 352 and 412 Bq kg<sup>−1</sup>. The MP inventory in Kuwait’s outdoor aerosol is between 5 and 35 MP in 815 ± 5 m<sup>3</sup> of air. The bacterial load in outdoor aerosols is between 6.05 × 10<sup>3</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup> and 1.24 × 10<sup>8</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup>. The fungal load ranges between 2.11 × 10<sup>2</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup> and 2.66 × 10<sup>6</sup> cells m<sup>−3</sup>. The data suggest that the inhalable fraction of <2.5 µm size contains high concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), <sup>210</sup>Po, <sup>210</sup>Pb, microplastics, and microbes. These enriched ultrafine aerosols pose a significant risk to human health. The review also highlights the scarcity of contaminant data in respirable and inhalable size fractions that are critical for a comprehensive inhalation risk assessment.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/3/470size-fractionatedaerosolPM<sub>2.5</sub>PAHsPBDEs<sup>210</sup>Po |
| spellingShingle | Saif Uddin Nazima Habibi Scott W. Fowler Montaha Behbehani Bondi Gevao Mohammad Faizuddin Aysun Ugur Gorgun Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait Atmosphere size-fractionated aerosol PM<sub>2.5</sub> PAHs PBDEs <sup>210</sup>Po |
| title | Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait |
| title_full | Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait |
| title_fullStr | Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait |
| title_short | Aerosols as Vectors for Contaminants: A Perspective Based on Outdoor Aerosol Data from Kuwait |
| title_sort | aerosols as vectors for contaminants a perspective based on outdoor aerosol data from kuwait |
| topic | size-fractionated aerosol PM<sub>2.5</sub> PAHs PBDEs <sup>210</sup>Po |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/3/470 |
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