KEYNOTE Health effects of natural dust - Defining the risk from a chemical, medical geology and environmental pathology perspective

The total aerosol load in the atmosphere as well as their chemistry and microbiological composition, have been shown to be strongly influenced by presiding climate systems and presence of dry land areas (deserts) and... [ view full abstract ]

The total aerosol load in the atmosphere as well as their chemistry and microbiological composition, have been shown to be strongly influenced by presiding climate systems and presence of dry land areas (deserts) and industrialized areas. Hence, natural dust is a form of geologic emission, arising from arid land areas, or from any human activity disturbing the earth’s surface such as mining, agriculture, construction, etc. Health effects from exposure to particulate matter have been widely described in the medical respiratory diseases literature. Direct contact with potentially harmful inhaled particles and the fine, fragile airways contributes to making the respiratory system a major target for dust and toxic agents. But toxic agents carried by dust can also exert adverse effects in other parts of the body as they are dissolved in the lung and absorbed into the blood stream. It is not only the inhalation pathway that needs to be considered, but also the increased exposure from dust deposition on edible crops and in drinking water sources. Thus, in order to set up preventive measures and regulations for dust levels to ensure public health, it is critical to gain knowledge about the potential health effects of environmental dust exposure. Geological information on dust sources, processes that affect mobilization, and transport of dust, as well as toxicological information on the effects and pathways of dust particles through respiratory organs are needed. This presentation stresses the global scale of the problem, in terms of its environmental, chemical, medical geology, and human health implications.