Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications
Southwest Florida is one of the most rapidly growing regions of the United States and has been impacted over the past decade with water-quality issues and some associated health problems. The ionic ratios of the dust measured in southwest Florida vary significantly from those on the Florida east coa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/102 |
| _version_ | 1797446314284285952 |
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| author | Razvan Barcan Zoie R. Kassis Christopher M. Teaf Ashley Danley-Thomson Douglas J. Covert Thomas M. Missimer |
| author_facet | Razvan Barcan Zoie R. Kassis Christopher M. Teaf Ashley Danley-Thomson Douglas J. Covert Thomas M. Missimer |
| author_sort | Razvan Barcan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Southwest Florida is one of the most rapidly growing regions of the United States and has been impacted over the past decade with water-quality issues and some associated health problems. The ionic ratios of the dust measured in southwest Florida vary significantly from those on the Florida east coast and in the Caribbean. The metals concentrations reported herein are enriched in potassium and calcium from local sources. Atmospheric deposition of metals and nutrients appears to have potential impacts on both indirect health problems and environmental issues of concern, particularly harmful algal blooms. However, no significant past research has been performed on measurement of the concentration of either metals including the micronutrient iron or nutrient concentrations occurring in atmospheric dry and wet fallout in southwest Florida. Measurements of the composition of key metals and nutrients were made over a one-year period. Concentrations of total phosphorus in the dust ranged from 0–80.5 mg/kg with an average of 4 mg/kg and in rainfall from 1–15.8 чg/L with an average of 4 mg/kg. Nitrate ranged from 0–746 чg/L with an average of 114.4 чg/L in rainfall in a soluble form, and from 1.3 to 718 mg/kg with an average of 209.9 mg/kg in an insoluble form. Ammonia was measured to range from 1.4 to 658 mg/kg with an average of 101.4 mg/kg in rainfall. Iron was found in the dust at concentrations ranging from 0–81 mg/kg with an average of 3.8 mg/kg and in rainfall from 0–125.7 mg/kg with an average of 3.0 mg/kg. While the measured nutrient and iron concentrations are not likely to initiate a harmful algal bloom, they are likely to sustain an existing bloom. Global climate change may exacerbate the atmospheric aerosol issue by increased wind speeds over Africa associated with longer term drought conditions caused by atmospheric temperature increases. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:38:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da4d6399401647d3a382d49fa1757929 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:38:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-da4d6399401647d3a382d49fa17579292023-11-30T21:09:25ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-01-0114110210.3390/atmos14010102Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health ImplicationsRazvan Barcan0Zoie R. Kassis1Christopher M. Teaf2Ashley Danley-Thomson3Douglas J. Covert4Thomas M. Missimer5U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565, USAU.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565, USAInstitute of Science & Public Affairs, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USADepartment of Bioengineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, U.A. Whitaker Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565, USAHazardous Substance and Waste Management Research, Inc., 2976 Wellington Circle West, Tallahassee, FL 32309, USAU.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565, USASouthwest Florida is one of the most rapidly growing regions of the United States and has been impacted over the past decade with water-quality issues and some associated health problems. The ionic ratios of the dust measured in southwest Florida vary significantly from those on the Florida east coast and in the Caribbean. The metals concentrations reported herein are enriched in potassium and calcium from local sources. Atmospheric deposition of metals and nutrients appears to have potential impacts on both indirect health problems and environmental issues of concern, particularly harmful algal blooms. However, no significant past research has been performed on measurement of the concentration of either metals including the micronutrient iron or nutrient concentrations occurring in atmospheric dry and wet fallout in southwest Florida. Measurements of the composition of key metals and nutrients were made over a one-year period. Concentrations of total phosphorus in the dust ranged from 0–80.5 mg/kg with an average of 4 mg/kg and in rainfall from 1–15.8 чg/L with an average of 4 mg/kg. Nitrate ranged from 0–746 чg/L with an average of 114.4 чg/L in rainfall in a soluble form, and from 1.3 to 718 mg/kg with an average of 209.9 mg/kg in an insoluble form. Ammonia was measured to range from 1.4 to 658 mg/kg with an average of 101.4 mg/kg in rainfall. Iron was found in the dust at concentrations ranging from 0–81 mg/kg with an average of 3.8 mg/kg and in rainfall from 0–125.7 mg/kg with an average of 3.0 mg/kg. While the measured nutrient and iron concentrations are not likely to initiate a harmful algal bloom, they are likely to sustain an existing bloom. Global climate change may exacerbate the atmospheric aerosol issue by increased wind speeds over Africa associated with longer term drought conditions caused by atmospheric temperature increases.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/102atmospheric dustdust chemistryenvironmental impactshealth implicationsclimate changeSouthwest Florida |
| spellingShingle | Razvan Barcan Zoie R. Kassis Christopher M. Teaf Ashley Danley-Thomson Douglas J. Covert Thomas M. Missimer Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications Atmosphere atmospheric dust dust chemistry environmental impacts health implications climate change Southwest Florida |
| title | Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications |
| title_full | Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications |
| title_fullStr | Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications |
| title_short | Dry and Wet Atmospheric Deposition Composition in Southwest Florida: Environmental and Health Implications |
| title_sort | dry and wet atmospheric deposition composition in southwest florida environmental and health implications |
| topic | atmospheric dust dust chemistry environmental impacts health implications climate change Southwest Florida |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/1/102 |
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