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AIR QUALITY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER DUST STORMS IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ

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 Plant Archives Vol. 19 No. 2, 2019 pp. 3671-3678 e-ISSN:2581-6063 (online), ISSN:0972-5210

AIR QUALITY BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER DUST STORMS IN

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Hazim H. Hussain Al-Saleem, Nagham T. Ibraheem and Omar L. Khaleed

Atmospheric Sciences Department, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, Iraq.

Abstract
Dust storms in Iraq have increased dramatically over the last two decades. The Iraqi Ministry of Environment recording 122
dust storms and 283 dusty days in 2014.This research came to study the beaver of air quality values in Baghdad before,
during, and after four dust storms occurrence in 2011,by using two different line, the first related to the some chemical
gaseous pollutant concentrations and the second related to the concentration of the particulate matter. The results showed
that the concentrations of the chemical gaseous pollutants: SO2, NO2 and CO decreased on the day of the dust storm from
the day before and the day after it. For example, on the day before the dust storm which occur on 19/1/2011,the concentrations
was :(CO=1.5427)(NO2 =0.0364)(SO2 = 0.0314) while in the day of the storm : (CO=0.7369) (NO2=0.0260) (SO2=0.0303) and in the
day after it : (CO=1.3225)(NO2=0.0377)(SO2=0.0457).It was found that the behavior of these gases during the dust storms is
due to the impact of wind speed.
Key words : dust storm, air quality, Baghdad, pollutant gases.

Baghdad suffers from the effects of dust almost

Introduction
Dust storms in Iraq have increased over the past 20
years, It is believed that over the next 10 years, Iraq may
witness 300 dusty days and dust storms during the year
(Daly and Zannetti,2007).
Dust storms carry two types of solid pollutants: sand
particles (grint) solid substances that are more than 500m
in diameter and rapidly return to the surface of the earth,
and dust particles that are smaller than sand, ranging in
diameter from 25 to 200 m and which are two types,
(fall dust) and return to earth after they are launched by
gravity, (suspended dust) Its particles remain suspended
by air for a while and then dropped by gravity according
to its size (Hussain, 2014).
Dust storms passing through Iraq occur for two
reasons: the first because of the northern winds resulting
from the cyclone based on North Africa to eastern Europe
and lead to the formation of monsoons passing by Iraq
and southern Iran and Pakistan, The second is the frontal
dust storms in the sedimentary plain extending from central
Iraq to western and central Iran, and in severe cases
may reach northern Iran and the southern coast of the
Caspian Sea (Hamidi and Reza ,2013).
every year because it is in the course of the frontal storms
of the sedimentary plain coming from the Saudi desert,
(sources of dust storms). In recent years, the great
frequency of SDS has led efforts to give more attention
to this problem. Most scientific studies focus on air
operations, dust sources, transition paths and changes in
concentrations of pollutants (Daly and Zannetti, 2007).
Dust is generally composed of a group of particles,
which are divided into three groups (0.5-1.8 m), which
arise as a result of human activities (2-8 m) and are
caused by dust storms (10-20 m) Is being studied
(PM10) (Ning, Zhong et al., 1996 ), Complex analyzes
of temporal and spatial changes for PM10 levels suggest
that dust particles reach their highest values 12 hours
before PM10 reaches peak and remain for 36 hours
(Yang, 2002).
This research come to study the manner of some
pollutant gases as one of the most dangerous gases on
human health and the environment. These gases are
(NO2) (CO) (SO2).NO2 is dangerous to the environment
because it contributes to the formation of acid rain in the
wet environment, as well as causes heart disease and
lung disease and reduces the immunity of the body and
3672 Hazim H. Hussain Al-Saleem et al.

increases the incidence of cancer, and the most prominent

sources of transport vehicles and electric generating
stations (Warneck, 1999) . While the source of CO is the
oxidation of methane due to the decomposition of organic
matter as well as caused by vital events in the seas and
on land, and the danger to the human being as it combines
with blood hemoglobin and cause death without warning
(Tiwary and Collis, 2010 ). The eruption of volcanoes is
one of the sources of SO2, as well as particles resulting
from the spray of sulfur springs, resulting in exposure to
breathing difficulties such as asthma, lung disease and
cough (Jacobson, 2002) , It is known that SO 2 is a
substance that is used to treat all mucous membranes in
the human body that are exposed to contact, especially
Fig. 1: Meteosat 8 visible image for dust storm occur in 19/1/
for people with respiratory problems and accelerate the
2011 in Iraq.
development of chronic respiratory diseases (Saide and
Pablo, 2011 ) . produced by fuel combustion in oil refineries
and power generation units. Many studies show that the
concentration of polluting chemical gases before the dust
storm is relatively high because of a strong temperature
reversal over the city. But the concentration of these
gases during the dust storm is generally reduced due to
strong winds while the concentration of PM10 is
increased (Fang, YunXie et al., 2003 ) . Many of polluting
chemical gases are absorbed by liquid surfaces such as
precipitation or solid surfaces such as soil and vegetation,
These gases are absorbed by dust particles in the
atmosphere during the dust storm and then drifting by
gravity to the surface of the earth by the so-called dry Fig. 2: Meteosat 8 visible image for dust storm occur in 22/3/
deposition, note that the deposition occurs for particles 2011 in Iraq.
that have more than 1m radius ( Hemond and Fechner-
Levy, 2000 ) . After the dust storm passes, the percentage
of polluting gases begins to rise while the aerosols
concentration decreases .
Some studies also suggest that dust storms contain
four stages: accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere,
discharge of pollutants, addition of pure dust, dust
discharge. Polluted gases and atmospheric plankton show
the same four phases, and it is observed that the
concentration of the aerosols changes inversely with the
concentration of gaseous pollutants (Guo and Rahn , 2004
).
Materials and Methods Fig. 3: Meteosat 8 visible image for dust storm occur in 5/4/
2011 in Iraq.
Chemical gaseous pollutant concentrations and
particulate matter concentration Data were obtained Forecasting ( ECMWF).
from the Iraqi Ministry of Environment for the city of
Baghdad for four storms, (19/1/2011) (22/3/2011) (5/4/ Results and Discussion
2011) (4/7/2011) as shown in Fig. (1-2-3-4) and Data were taken for the dust storms selected for the
meteorological data ( wind speed components ) obtained storm day, one day before and one day later. The data
from European Center for Meteorological Weather taken are observational data showing the concentration
 Air quality before, during, and after Dust storms in Baghdad, Iraq 3673

of polluting gases is high one day before the dust storm,

but when it arrives, the concentration of gas is reduced
to the lowest value and then rise again in the day after
the dust storm and this applies to all Contaminated gases.
We also find that the temperature decreases during the
dust storm and rises again after the storm, and this is
because the aerosol is a barrier that works to reduce the
amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth
and reduce the temperature, Also, the wind speed
increases during the dust storm, increasing the
concentration of the aerosol. These winds work to
disperse the polluting gases, so the concentration is less
concentrated during the dust storm, and when it passes
less wind speed increases concentration of gases, this
Fig. 4: Meteosat 8 visible image for dust storm occur in 4/7/
2011 in Iraq.

14 0 0 .055 1 40 1. 6
pm10 pm1 0
NO 2 0 .050 CO
12 0 1 20 1. 4
)3

)3
0 .045
10 0 1 00 1. 2
g /m

0 .040 g /m
80 80 1. 0
0 .035
60 60 0. 8
0 .030
c ocNO
2

40 40 0. 6
0 .025

C O co n ce n tr at io n (p p m )
en tr a tio n (p pm )
p m 1 0 co nc en tr a tio n (

p m 1 0 co n ce n tr at ion (

20 20 0. 4
0 .020

0 0 .015 0 0. 2
18 19 20 18 19 20

Du st Sto rm Da ys Du st St or m D a ys

1 40 20 6 1 40 0 .0 5
p m 10 pm 1 0
T S O2
1 20 Wi nd 1 20
5
16 0 .0 4
)3

)3

1 00 1 00
4
g/ m

g /m

12 0 .0 3
80 80

3
60 60
8 0 .0 2
2
T em p e ra tu re ( C)

W ind s pe e d ( m /s )

co nSce
2
40 40

4 0 .0 1
pm 1 0 co nc en tr ati on (

p m 10 c o nc en tr a tio n (

O n tr at ion (p p m )
1
20 20

0 0 0 0 0 .0 0
18 19 20 18 19 2 0

D us t St or m Da ys D u st Sto r m D ay s

Fig. 5a: dust storm in 19/1/2011

of the aerosols as well as the concentration of (NO2) means that the wind speed is the main reason to dispersion
(CO) (SO2) as well as the temperature and wind speed. of polluted gases concentration, for this reason we studied
Drawing the relationships between the variables, the the effect of horizontal and vertical wind components on
relationship between the concentration of the aerosols the concentration of polluted gases by contour maps of
and the polluted gases was plotted as well as the wind components before, during and after the dust storm
relationship between the concentration of the aerosols as in Fig.s (6-a,b,c,d).
and the temperature and wind speed for the same days The Fig.s shows the absence of the effect of
and the result as shown in Fig.(5-a,b,c,d). horizontal and vertical wind speed components on the
Fig.s (5-a,b,c,d) shows the form that the concentration concentration of polluted gases and their values change
3674 Hazim H. Hussain Al-Saleem et al.

1 40 1 .6 1 40 0 .055
p m1 0 pm 10
c o no 2
1 20 0 .050
1 20 1 .4
)3

)3
0 .045
1 00 1 .2 1 00

g /m
m /m

0 .040
80 1 .0 80
0 .035
60 0 .8 60
0 .030

2
co cNeO
40 0 .6 40
0 .025

C O c o nc e n tr a tio n ( p p m )
pm 1 0 co n s e n tr a tio n (

p m 1 0 c on c e nt ra t io n (

nt ra t io n (p p m )
20 0 .4 20 0 .020

0 0 .2 0 0 .015
2 1 2 2 2 3 21 22 23
D u st S to r m D a y s D u st St o rm D ay s

14 0 0.0 5 1 40 38 6
pm 10 pm10
so2 T 36
12 0 1 20 W
5
0.0 4 34
)3

)3
10 0 1 00
g /m

g/ m
32 4
80 0.0 3 80
30
3
60 60 28
0.0 2
26 2

T em p er at ur e ( C)

Win d spe e d ( m /s)

c o SO
2

40 40
n ce n t ra t io n ( p p m )

24
0.0 1
p m 1 0 co n c e nt r a tio n (

pm 1 0 co nce n tra tio n (

20 20 1
22

0 0.0 0 0 20 0
21 22 23 21 22 23
D u st S to r m Da y s Dus t St or m Da ys

Fig. 5b: dust storm in 22/3/2011

140 1.6 14 0 0 .055
p m10 pm10
co no2 0 .050
120 1.4 12 0
)3

)3

0 .045
100 1.2 10 0
g/ m

g /m

0 .040
80 1.0 80
0 .035
60 0.8 60
0 .030

co ncNO
2
40 0.6 40
0 .025
CO c o nc e nt ra t ion (p p m )
pm 1 0 c o nc e nt ra t ion (

p m 1 0 con ce n tr atio n (

en tr at ion ( pp m )
20 0.4 20 0 .020

0 0.2 0 0 .015
4 5 6 4 5 6
Du st St o rm Da y s D us t St or m Da ys

1 40 0 .0 5 14 0 30 6
pm 10 pm 1 0
s o2 T 29
1 20 12 0 W
0 .0 4 28 5
)3

1 00 10 0
mg

27
g/ m

0 .0 3 26 4
80 80

25
60
T (C)

60
0 .0 2 24 3

23
Wind sp ee d ( m/ s)

40
co n
2

40
S cOen t ra t io n ( p pm )

0 .0 1 22 2
pm 1 0 co n c e nt r at io n (

p m1 0 c on cen tra tio n (

20 20
21

0 0 .0 0 0 20 1

4 5 6 4 5 6

D u st S to r m D a y s Du st St or m Days

Fig. 5c: dust storm in 5/4/2011

randomly with the concentrations of gases before, during speed is proportional to the concentration of the aerosols
and after the dust storm, reaches maximum values on (pm10), it is at its highest values during the dust storm
the day before or after the dust storm while decreased in and less before and after the storm and this seems clear
the storm eliminating their impact on dispersing polluted from the figs. (5-a,b,c,d).
gases and reducing their concentration. While wind The difference is the concentration of pollutants
 Air quality before, during, and after Dust storms in Baghdad, Iraq 3675

14 0 1 .6 1 40 0.0 55
p m 10 p m1 0
co NO 2 0.0 50
12 0 1 .4 1 20

0.0 45
)3

)3
10 0 1 .2 1 00
g /m

g/m
0.0 40
80 1 .0 80
0.0 35
60 0 .8 60
0.0 30

co nNcO
2
40 0 .6 40
0.0 25

C O co n c e n tr a t io n ( p p m )

p m 1 0 c oc e n tr a ti on (
p m 1 0 co n c e n tr a ti o n (

e n tr a tio n (p p m )
20 0 .4 20 0.0 20

0 0 .2 0 0.0 15
3 4 5 3 4 5
D u s t S to r m D a y s D u s t S to r m D a ys

14 0 0.0 5 140 40 5
pm 10
SO2
12 0 120
0.0 4 38 4
)3

)3
10 0 100
g/ m

g/m
80 0.0 3 80 36 3

60 60
0.0 2 34 2

T em p er atu re ( C)
c o nc

W ind sp ee d (m /s)
2

40 40
SO

pm 10 c oce nt ra tion (
pm 10 co n ce n tr a tio n (

0.0 1 32 1
e n tr at io n ( p pm )

20 20 pm10
T
w
0 0.0 0 0 30 0
3 4 5 3 4 5
D us t Sto r m Da y s Du st St or m Day s

Fig. 5d: dust storm in 4/7/2011

Before the dust storm During the dust storm After the dust storm

Fig. 6a: Wind speed components for 19/1/2011 Dust Storm.

3676 Hazim H. Hussain Al-Saleem et al.

Before the dust storm During the dust storm After th e dust storm
Fig. 6b: Wind speed components for 22/3/2011 Dust Storm.

Before the dust storm During the dust storm After th e dust storm
Fig. 6c: Wind speed components for 5/4/2011 Dust Storm.
during the seasons as shown in Fig. 7. applies to all polluting gases as shown in Figs. (A, B, C),
The Fig. shows that the concentration of polluting that means that the concentration of polluting gases is
gases is greater during winter than in the summer, this inversely proportional with temperature as shown in Fig.
(E). The concentration of the aerosols in the dust storm
 Air quality before, during, and after Dust storms in Baghdad, Iraq
Before the dust storm During the dust storm
Fig. 6d: Wind speed components for 4/7/2011 Dust Storm.
changes during the seasons depending on the source of
the storm and the areas passing through it as shown in
fig. (D). This is due to the low wind speed in winter
which works for the highest dispersion of contaminants
Fig. (F), where the numbers on X-axis refers to the
following: 1 (before dust storm), 2 (during dust storm), 3
(after dust storm).
Conclusions
Before the dust storm, the concentration of polluting
gases is high in the atmosphere due to traffic and industrial
activities, while the concentration of the aerosol is
relatively low.
During the dust storm, the concentration of the
aerosol increases due to weather system conditions in
the study area (low pressure system and blowing wind)
and the concentration of polluting gases decreases due
to the increasing in the speed of the wind that disperses
the pollutants, These polluting gases are absorbed by the
dust particles present in the atmosphere during the dust
storm and are then deposited to the earth’s surface by
gravity, which reduces the concentration of these gases
in the atmosphere. Also the temperature decreases
because the dust acts to block the solar radiation reaching
3677
After the dust storm
the earth’s surface.
After the dust storm passes, the concentration of the
aerosol is reduced and the concentration of air pollutants
increases due to the low wind speed, which leads to the
accumulation of these pollutants near the surface of the
earth, and the temperature rises again.
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0.055 1.8
Jan. Jan.
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0.050 1.6 A pr il
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0.045
B 1.4 A
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0.035 1.0

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concent
2

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0.025
NOrat ion (ppm)

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1 2 3 1 2 3

Before, Durin g& After Du st Storm

Befor e, Dur ing& Af ter Dus t Storm

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g/m

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Wind speed (m/s)

15

1
10

0 5
1 2 3 1 2 3

Be fore, D uring & Af ter D us t Sto rm Before, Durin g & Af ter Du st Sto rm

Fig. 7: Aerosol concentrations and contaminants before, during and after the storm.

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