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Achilleos S, Henderson C, Kouis P, Achilleos A, Argyrou A, Caballero A, Prokopiou E, Kokkinofta R, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Tzortzis M, Sisou A, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK, Quattrocchi A. Airborne particle radioactivity during desert dust days in Cyprus. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 278:107467. [PMID: 38852499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
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 PM10. Conversely, ratios of TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity to PM10 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souzana Achilleos
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414, Engomi, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Connor Henderson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, 215/6 Nicosia - Limassol Old Road, 2115, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Antigoni Achilleos
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Argyris Argyrou
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Anastasia Caballero
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Eleni Prokopiou
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Rebecca Kokkinofta
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Emily Vasiliadou
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Michael Tzortzis
- Radiation Inspection and Control Service, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Anastasia Sisou
- Radiation Inspection and Control Service, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Panayiotis K Yiallouros
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, 215/6 Nicosia - Limassol Old Road, 2115, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Annalisa Quattrocchi
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414, Engomi, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Jones RR, White AJ. Invited Perspective: New Motivations and Future Directions for Investigating Environmental Risk Factors for Breast Cancer. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:11301. [PMID: 38197649 PMCID: PMC10777818 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Rena R. Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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