Dust storms loads analyses—Iraq

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.