Assessment of respirable particulates in two residential areas of Kuwait State during dusty and nondusty storms: A time-series comparative study

Abstract

Background: Kuwait State is branded by the recurrent dust storms and high pollution level. It has the highest dust concentration and surface temperature in Peninsula. The aim of the present study was to assess the respirable particulates during days with and without dust storms in two residential areas in Kuwait State. Materials and Methods:This time-series comparative study was accomplished during the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013. It was conducted by recording the local meteorological data in the two sampling stations at Mansoria (A) and Ali Sabah Al-Salem (B) residential areas, in addition to the sampling and analysis of respirable particulates (PM10) using the SOP-10 High-Volume PM10 Samplers' Standard Method. Results: There were 256 and 278 measurement days (70.1 and 75.1% of the yearly days) in monitoring stations A and B, respectively, with a total of 119 (46.5%) and 134 (48.2%) days with dust storms, respectively. The daily concentrations of PM10 were higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of Kuwait State (150 µg/m3) at the two stations. The annual PM10 concentration of B station [192.5 (264.5) µg/m3] was nonsignificantly higher than that of A [191.2 (182.7) µg/m3]. At the two stations, the levels of PM10 during days with dust storms were significantly higher than that during days without. Conclusion: Respirable particulate is slightly higher in Ali Sabah Al-Salem than in Mansoria. Days with dust storms have significantly greater PM10 levels than those without. The study recommends application of land-use planning, and windbreaks, combating desertification, and enhancing stoppage of outdoor activities during dust storms among public.

Exposure to air pollution in epidemiological studies in Kuwait: A systematic review

“…77 studies found which measured different pollutants indoor or/ and outdoors, where majority of these studies (59 studies) measured only outdoor pollutants (Abdul-Wahab et al, 1996, Al-Awadhi, 2016, Al-Awadhi, 2014, Al-Awadhi and Alshuaibi, 2013, Alet al, 2008a, Al-Dabbous and Kumar, 2014, Al-Dabbous and Kumar, 2015, Al-Dabbous et al, 2016, Aldaihani and Alenezi, 2017, Alenezi and Al-anezi, 2015, Al-Hurban and Al-Ostad, 2009, Alkandari and Moein, 2018, Alshammari, 2018, Al-Shammari, 2013, Bourasli, 2013, Bu-Olayan and Thomas, 2011, Bu-Olayan and Thomas, 2010b, Engelbrecht et al, 2009b, Kuśmierczyk-Michulec and Bourgouin, 2018, Li et al, 2020, Nasrallah et al, 2003, Yassin, 2011, Yassin et al, 2018a, Zaki et al, 2017.…”