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Mediterranean countries are often affected by desert dust storms, which have significant effects on the environment and public health. We compared airborne particle radioactivity levels during desert dust and non-dust days in Cyprus. Gross α- and β-radioactivity from Total Suspended Particle (TSP) samples, collected at two urban routine monitoring stations in Limassol and Nicosia, were available for the period 2017–2020 and 2008–2020, respectively. Radionuclides 137Cs and 40K, from TSP samples, were also available from a semi-industrial monitoring station in Nicosia during 2008–2020. Information on desert dust presence, dust origin, particulate matter (PM) levels, and solar activity (KP index and solar sunspot numbers - SSN) were also obtained. We used linear regression models adjusting for seasonality and long-term trends, and solar activity to assess the effect of dust storms on TSP gross α- and β-, and 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels. Gross α- and β-radioactivity, and 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels were significantly higher on days with desert dust compared to days characterized with no influence of desert dust. Levels of gross α- and β-radioactivity during dust days were higher when dust originated from the Middle East deserts than from the Sahara Desert. The same trend was observed for the ratios 137Cs to 40K and 137Cs to PM 10. Conversely, ratios of TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity to PM 10 were significantly lower during desert dust days in comparison to days without dust influence. This study suggests that desert dust increase both TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity, as well as 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels. Further studies should clarify the contribution of anthropogenic and other natural sources to the emission or transportation of particles radioactivity, to better mitigate future exposures. [Display omitted] • Total Suspended Particle (TSP) radioactivity in Cyprus was assessed using measurements of gross α-,β-, 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels. • TSP radioactivity levels were found to increase during desert dust days compared to non-dust days. • TSP radioactivity levels on dust days were higher when air masses originated from the Middle East deserts. • α/PM 10 and β/PM 10 ratios decreased on dust days, while 137Cs/PM 10 ratio increased on high dust periods. • Urban particles may be more radioactive in terms of α- and β-radioactivity, as compared to desert dust particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The health burden from exposure to air pollution has been studied in many parts of the world. However, there is limited research on the health effects of air quality in arid areas where sand dust is the primary particulate pollution source. Objective Study the risk of mortality from exposure to poor air quality days in Kuwait. Methods We conducted a time-series analysis using daily visibility as a measure of particulate pollution and non-accidental total mortality from January 2000 through December 2016. A generalized additive Poisson model was used adjusting for time trends, day of week, and temperature. Low visibility (yes/no), defined as visibility lower than the 25th percentile, was used as an indicator of poor air quality days. Dust storm events were also examined. Finally, we examined these associations after stratifying by gender, age group, and nationality (Kuwaitis/non-Kuwaitis). Results There were 73,748 deaths from natural causes in Kuwait during the study period. The rate ratio comparing the mortality rate on low visibility days to high visibility days was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99–1.03). Similar estimates were observed for dust storms (1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04). Higher and statistically significant estimates were observed among non-Kuwaiti men and non-Kuwaiti adolescents and adults. Conclusion We observed a higher risk of mortality during days with poor air quality in Kuwait from 2000 through 2016. Highlights • The health effects of air quality in arid areas are not well studied. • Studied the acute effect of poor air quality and dust storms on mortality in Kuwait • Time-series analysis using 2000-16 daily visibility and all nonaccidental mortality • People are in higher risk of dying during days with poor air quality in Kuwait. • Non-Kuwaiti people especially men and adults are in higher risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The link between PM 2.5 exposure and adverse health outcomes is well documented from studies across the world. However, the reported effect estimates vary across studies, locations and constituents. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis on associations between short-term exposure to PM 2.5 constituents and mortality using city-specific estimates, and explore factors that may explain some of the observed heterogeneity. Methods We systematically reviewed epidemiological studies on particle constituents and mortality using PubMed and Web of Science databases up to July 2015.We included studies that examined the association between short-term exposure to PM 2.5 constituents and all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, in the general adult population. Each study was summarized based on pre-specified study key parameters (e.g., location, time period, population, diagnostic classification standard), and we evaluated the risk of bias using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Method for each included study. We extracted city-specific mortality risk estimates for each constituent and cause of mortality. For multi-city studies, we requested the city-specific risk estimates from the authors unless reported in the article. We performed random effects meta-analyses using city-specific estimates, and examined whether the effects vary across regions and city characteristics (PM 2.5 concentration levels, air temperature, elevation, vegetation, size of elderly population, population density, and baseline mortality). Results We found a 0.89% (95% CI: 0.68, 1.10%) increase in all-cause, a 0.80% (95% CI: 0.41, 1.20%) increase in cardiovascular, and a 1.10% (95% CI: 0.59, 1.62%) increase in respiratory mortality per 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 . Accounting for the downward bias induced by studies of single days, the all-cause mortality estimate increased to 1.01% (95% CI: 0.81, 1.20%). We found significant associations between mortality and several PM 2.5 constituents. The most consistent and stronger associations were observed for elemental carbon (EC) and potassium (K). For most of the constituents, we observed high variability of effect estimates across cities. Conclusions Our meta-analysis suggests that (a) combustion elements such as EC and K have a stronger association with mortality, (b) single lag studies underestimate effects, and (c) estimates of PM 2.5 and constituents differ across regions. Accounting for PM mass in constituent's health models may lead to more stable and comparable effect estimates across different studies. Systematic review registration PROSPERO: CRD42017055765. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most hazardous substances in the environment. Although their occurrence and fate in the atmosphere of Eastern Mediterranean is well documented, there is limited information on PAH levels in the inhalable aerosol fraction. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, there is lack of information on particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter equal or less than 2.5 and 10 μm (PM 2.5 /PM 10)-bound PAH concentrations and sources in Cyprus. We therefore present the first study that i) determines the concentration levels of PAHs in the respirable and inhalable (PM 2.5 and PM 10) fraction of particulate matter; ii) identifies, quantifies, and compares PAH emission sources by applying two receptor models (Principal Components Analysis/Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, PCA/MLR; and UNMIX factorization), and iii) assesses their relative toxicity at two different coastal sites in Eastern Mediterranean (Island of Crete, Greece; and Cyprus). For this purpose, a total of 79 samples were collected in Heraklion (Island of Crete) and Limassol (Cyprus) during a 2-year sampling campaign between 2012 and 2014. Thirty five PAH members were identified and the total concentration (Σ 35 PAHs) levels in PM 2.5 ranged between 0.15 and 9.19 ng/m3 in Heraklion; 0.12 and 3.91 ng/m3 (PM 2.5), and 0.16 and 4.02 ng/m3 (PM 10) in Limassol. PAH concentrations were the highest when air masses were passing over highly polluted areas, such as the eastern Balkan Peninsula/Adriatic Sea and northern Greece. The most abundant members at both sites were Benzo[b]fluoranthene (7–16%), Benzo[e]pyrene (8–11%), Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (10–18%) and Benzo[ghi]perylene (9–21%); as well as Anthranene (5–6%) and Coronene (9–11%) in Limassol. The major PAH emission sources obtained from the application of PCA/MLRA were gasoline and diesel/coal combustion sources, accounting for almost 60% and 40% of total contribution in Heraklion, while in Limassol both sources contributed nearly equally (51% and 49%, respectively). Similar findings were obtained using the UNMIX model. The lifetime incremental cancer risk (ILCR) due to both inhalation and ingestion exposure from particulate PAHs was well below the U.S. EPA regulatory threshold in both study areas. • The most abundant PAH members in Crete-Greece and Cyprus were BbF,BeP,IP, and BghiP. • Gasoline and diesel/coal combustion were the main sources of PAHs at both sites. • PAH levels reached max when air masses were passing over highly polluted countries. • The most important contributors to cancer burden were BaP (∼50%), BbF, DBA, and IP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidemiological evidence on the interaction between heat and ambient air pollution on mortality is still inconsistent. To investigate the interaction between heat and ambient air pollution on daily mortality in a large dataset of 620 cities from 36 countries. We used daily data on all-cause mortality, air temperature, particulate matter ≤ 10 μm (PM 10), PM ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and ozone (O 3) from 620 cities in 36 countries in the period 1995–2020. We restricted the analysis to the six consecutive warmest months in each city. City-specific data were analysed with over-dispersed Poisson regression models, followed by a multilevel random-effects meta-analysis. The joint association between air temperature and air pollutants was modelled with product terms between non-linear functions for air temperature and linear functions for air pollutants. We analyzed 22,630,598 deaths. An increase in mean temperature from the 75th to the 99th percentile of city-specific distributions was associated with an average 8.9 % (95 % confidence interval: 7.1 %, 10.7 %) mortality increment, ranging between 5.3 % (3.8 %, 6.9 %) and 12.8 % (8.7 %, 17.0 %), when daily PM 10 was equal to 10 or 90 μg/m3, respectively. Corresponding estimates when daily O 3 concentrations were 40 or 160 μg/m3 were 2.9 % (1.1 %, 4.7 %) and 12.5 % (6.9 %, 18.5 %), respectively. Similarly, a 10 μg/m3 increment in PM 10 was associated with a 0.54 % (0.10 %, 0.98 %) and 1.21 % (0.69 %, 1.72 %) increase in mortality when daily air temperature was set to the 1st and 99th city-specific percentiles, respectively. Corresponding mortality estimate for O 3 across these temperature percentiles were 0.00 % (-0.44 %, 0.44 %) and 0.53 % (0.38 %, 0.68 %). Similar effect modification results, although slightly weaker, were found for PM 2.5 and NO 2. Suggestive evidence of effect modification between air temperature and air pollutants on mortality during the warm period was found in a global dataset of 620 cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]