Increasing transoceanic dust flux may herald a potential threat to global public health. Dust of Asian and African origin is thought to affect ecological and human health in the United States and Caribbean nations, especially among those individuals suffering from chemical sensitivities. Indigenous dust, especially in the western US, is known to transport the valley fever pathogen as well as asbestos. The total Asian dust load reaching the western US is not well known. However, published estimates of African dust flux to the Amazon basin, Caribbean, and southeast US are on the order of hundreds of millions of tons annually. Flux of African dust to the Caribbean and US has increased dramatically since 1970 because of ongoing drought in North Africa caused by fluctuations in the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO). Long-term dust monitoring in Barbados shows that fluctuating but increasing concentrations have been impacting the Caribbean since 1973. In addition to crustal elements, soil dusts serve as carriers for 1) pesticides, 2) heavy metals, i.e., mercury and arsenic, 3) naturally occurring radioactive isotopes (Be-7 and Pb-210), 4) viable bacteria and fungal pathogens, 5) pollen, 6) insects, and 6) miscellaneous organic debris. Many of the chemical and biological constituents are known to cause respiratory stress and impact water quality. The incidence of asthma on Barbados and nearby Trinidad, documented by the Caribbean Allergy and Respiratory Association (CARA), is among the highest in the world and has increased 17-fold since 1973.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: Environmental Health, Hazardous Air Pollutants
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.