Desert dust impacts on human health: an alarming worldwide reality and a need for studies in West Africa

Abstract

High desert dust concentrations raise concerns about adverse health effects on human populations. Based on a systematic literature review, this paper aims to learn more about the relationship between desert dust and human health in the world and to analyse the place of West Africa as a study area of interest. Papers focussing on the potential relationship between dust and health and showing quantitative analyses, published between January 1999 and September 2011, were identified using the ISI Web of Knowledge database (N050). A number of adverse health effects, including respiratory, cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary diseases, are associated with dust. This survey highlights obvious dust impacts on human health independently of the study area, health outcomes and method. Moreover, it reveals an imbalance between the areas most exposed to dust and the areas most studied in terms of health effects. None of these studies has been conducted in West Africa, despite the proximity of the Sahara, which produces about half of the yearly global mineral dust. In view of the alarming results in many parts of the world (Asia, Europe, America), this paper concludes by stressing the importance of carrying out impact studies of Saharan dust in West Africa, where dust events are more frequent and intense than anywhere else.

Climate change, extreme weather events, air pollution and respiratory health in Europe

“…Air pollution and desert dust storms Desert regions throughout the world are known to be the source of dust storms that are driven by weather conditions and transported over long distances, with North Africa (the Sahara) being the main contributing area (over 50%) [91][92][93]. Dust particles derive from the earth's crust and affect air quality, in particular PM10 and coarse particulate (PM2.5-10) levels [91][92][93].…”

“…Dust particles derive from the earth's crust and affect air quality, in particular PM10 and coarse particulate (PM2.5-10) levels [91][92][93]. For example, during Saharan events PM10 concentrations exceed the EU daily limit value, surpassing 100 mg?m -3 or 150 mg?m -3 at rural stations [60,91,93]. As with wildfire smoke, dust storms may also be transported over thousands kilometres, changing composition and concentration of pollutants on the way, and following specific trajectories that can be back-derived by mathematical models.…”

“…The Mediterranean and Europe are particularly affected by dust storms from North Africa, which have significant impact on air quality and human health [91,93]. The growing evidence in these regions suggests a greater effect of PM on dust days than on non-dust days [59,60,[95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103], in particular on mortality or [59,[96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103].…”

“…Overall, associations are more coherent as regards coarse particles (PM2.5-10) than for PM2.5 and PM10. Only studies outside Europe, mainly from Asia and Australia, evaluated dust storms effects on specific respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia, rhinitis, COPD and asthma; however, evidence is still limited and rather contrasting, especially regards hospital admissions for these diseases [91,93].…”

Measurements of Aerosol Optical and Microphysical Properties in Tizi Ouzou

“…Over the Ocean and near coastal regions, the atmosphere is mostly charged with marine aerosols (sea salt) and areas near the Sahara desert are often rich in desert dust particles. Big cities produce harmful aerosols affecting human health (De Longueville et al, 2013), degrade air quality and impact the climate (Haywood and Ramaswamy, 1998;Phuleria et al, 2005;Thompson and Eidhammer, 2014). The volcanic eruptions, in turn, produce aerosols particles having a detrimental effect on the climate and the environment (Martucci et al, 2012;Metzner et al, 2012).…”