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Dust storms loads analyses—Iraq

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Abstract

The dust storms that blow over Iraq were studied from December 2008 to March 2009. The total number of studied dust storms was eight; during each dust storm, samples were collected from the cities of Baghdad, Ramadi, Kut, Basra, Najaf, Karbala, Hilla and Tikrit. The climatic elements with the dust storms types were studied. The results of dust storms analyses reflect their increase in average toward the southwestern direction (average suspended, rising, regional dust storms were 8, 10, 15 days/year, respectively). The average means annual rainfall (in mm), evaporation (in mm), temperature (in °C), and relative humidity percentage indicate that there were remarkable variations in values, with increase of the number of days/years of the dust storms reflecting the effect of the regional climatic change. The results of particle size analyses indicate the texture of most samples range from sandy clayey silt (75%) and clayey sandy silt (25%), and the average dominant grain size have a direct relationship with trajectories of dust storms. Quartz grains were 15% rounded and 85% sub-rounded. Moreover, the dust samples were analyzed and identified by using XRD analyses and Polaroid microscope. The results reflect the following minerals according to their average relative dominant, quartz 58.6%, feldspars 17.3%, and calcite 15.4%, with small amount of gypsum 5.5%. The clay minerals (chlorite, illite, montmorillonite, palygorskite, and kaolinite) were recognized. The analyses of heavy minerals percentages by using the microscope were performed. The results of pollen distribution, in descending order, were Chenopodiaceous, Graminea, Pine, Artemisia, Palmae, Olea, and Typha (reaching 79%, 69%, 63%, 53%, 17%, 9%, and 7% of the counted pollen grains, respectively). The results of microorganisms (i.e., isolated bacteria and fungi), in descending order, were the gram-positive Bacillus species (42.9%), Aspergillus species plus Candida albicans (13.8%), and (8.4%), the gram-negative rods, Escherichia coli (9.5%), the gram-positive Cocci streptococcus pneumonia (6.7%), then the gram-negative rod Enterobacter cloacae (4.3%), Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus (3.9%) and (1.9%). The remaining Gram-negative microorganisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.7%). Regarding the viral etiology, there is no viral isolate among the work results. The allergens commonly associated with dust storms include fungal spores, plant and grass pollens, and organic detritus represent agricultural area pollen grains.

المستخلص

تمت دراسة العواصف الغبارية الهابة على العراق للفترة من كانون ثاني (ديسمبر) 2008 ولغاية أذار (مارس) 2009 . لقد كان عدد العواصف الغبارية المدروسة هو ثمانية ، تم جمع نماذج الغبار لكل عاصفة من مدن بغداد والرمادي والكوت والبصره و النجف وكربلاء والحله وتكريت . وشملت الدراسة تحليل العناصر المناخية وانواع العواصف الغبارية .أظهرت النتائج بان معدلات العواصف الغبارية تزداد باتجاة الجنوب الغربي ( حيث كانت معدلات عواصف الغبار العالق و المتصاعد والعواصف الاقليمية هو 8 و 10 و 15 يوم / سنة ، على التوالي ). كما بينت المعدلات السنوية للامطار ( ملم) و التبخر (ملم) والحرارة ( درجة مئويه) والرطوبه النسبيه ( %) بانها متغايره مع الزمن وتدل مع زيادة عدد الايام في السنه للعواصف الغبارية بتاثير التغير المناخي العالمي. دلت نتائج التحاليل النسيجيه لحجوم الدقائق الغبارية بانها غرين طيني رملي بنسبة 75% و غرين رملي طيني بنسبة 25% وان الحجوم المتغلبة ذات علاقة طردية مباشره بطاقة العواصف الغبارية. أظهرت دراسة استدارة شكل حبيبات معدن الكوارتز , أن أشكالها كانت تتراوح بين شبه الدائري (85%) ودائري ( 15%) .

اوضحت تحاليل النماذج الغبارية بواسطة أشعة أكس والمجهر المستقطب بان معدلاتها المعدنية تتكون من معادن الكوارتز 58,6 % والفلدسبار 17,3 % والكالسايت 15,4% مع نسبه قليلة من الجبسوم 5,5 % , مع وجود المعادن الطينية الكلورايت والألايت والمنتمورلولايت والباليغوسكايت والكاؤولينايت . كما اوضحت الدراسة الحالية انواع المعادن الثقيلة في نماذج الغبار

شملت الدراسة أيضا حبوب اللقاح المنقوله بواسطة العواصف و تراكيزها ، وأمكن تمييز حبوب اللقاح العائدة للعوائل النباتية وهى ( رجل الوزة 79% والنجيلية 69% والصنوبرية 63% والزيتونية 9% والنخيل 17% والبردى 7% ) منقولة بالعواصف الترابية التي مرت بالعراق خلال فترة الدراسة, اما من ناحية الدراسات البايولوجية فقد تم دراسة انواع البكتريا والفطريات والفيروسات المرضية وغير المرضية . أظهرت الدراسة الحالية للغبار أن معظم البكتريا المعزولة هي عصيات الباسيلاس الموجبة 42,9% وتأتي بعدها العصيات المعوية السالبة 9,5% والمكورات الموجبة الرئوية والمكورات الموجبة الجلدية 6,7% وعصيات سالبة معوية مختلفة منها الكلوكا 4,3% والكوكاس النوع الاول 3,9% والثاني 1,9% والبسيدوموناس 2,7% , أما بالنسبة للفطريات المرضية المعزولة فكان بالمرتبة الأولى الأسبيرجيليس الرئوية 13,8% وثانيا الكانديدا المرضية8,4% , ومن خلال الدراسة الحالية لم يتم عزل أي فيروس مرضي أو غير مرضي.

ان التاثيرات الطبية السلبية للعواصف الغبارية كانت كثيرة اهمها امراض الربو والحساسية وامراض الجهاز التنفسي وكانت بسبب العوالق من السبورات وحبوب اللقاح النباتية والمواد العضوية العالقة الاخرى واشكالها المخرشة للجهاز التنفسي التي تمثل المناطق الزراعية التي تمر عليها العواصف اضافة الى المكونات المعدنية المختلفة.

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Acknowledgments

The researchers wish to thank Dr. Abdalla Al-Najjar (the chairman of ASTF) and the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) for their great support. We wish to extend our gratitude to Dr. Ahmed Alose (ASTF Main Office, UAE) for his encouragement to publish this research and to Dr. Ausama Sameh (ASTF, Baghdad) for his continuous support. Special thanks are due to Dr. Virginia H. Garrison (U.S. Geological Survey) for her encouragement during reading the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science College, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Moutaz A. Al-Dabbas

  2. Medical City, Ministry of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq

    Mohammed Ayad Abbas

  3. Education College (Ibn Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

    Raad M. Al-Khafaji

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  1. Moutaz A. Al-Dabbas
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  2. Mohammed Ayad Abbas
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  3. Raad M. Al-Khafaji
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Correspondence to Moutaz A. Al-Dabbas.

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Al-Dabbas, M.A., Ayad Abbas, M. & Al-Khafaji, R.M. Dust storms loads analyses—Iraq. Arab J Geosci 5, 121–131 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-010-0181-7

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