AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
An Assessment of Particulate Air Pollution in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
HAIDER A KHWAJA, Omar S. Abu-Rizaiza, Azhar Siddique, Abdullah Aburizaiza, Shedrack R. Nayebare, Mirza M Hussain, Jahan Zeb Qurashi, Jamal Qethmi, David Carpenter, Zafar Fatmi, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Abstract Number: 691 Working Group: Urban Aerosols
Abstract Urban air pollution is rapidly becoming a major environmental problem of public concern in several developing countries of the world. It can influence public health and local/regional weather and climate. Ambient air pollution in major cities of Saudi Arabia is a substantial environmental and health concern. The present study was undertaken to assess the particulate air pollution of a major city of Saudi Arabia. The 24 h concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM2.5) were collected at a fixed site. BC measurements were obtained from PM2.5 filters using an optical transmissometer. PM2.5 and BC concentrations in the city ranged 23 - 186 µg/m3, 0.70 – 3.09 µg/m3, respectively. The mean concentration was 74.2 µg/m3 and 1.53 µg/m3 for PM2.5 and BC, respectively, with significant temporal variability. Maximum BC contribution to PM2.5 was 5.6%. Atmospheric PM2.5 concentrations were well above the 24 h WHO guideline of 20 µg/m3. An Air Quality Index (AQI) was calculated for PM2.5 at Jeddah, with highest pollutant-specific value reported as a “level of health concern” (moderate: 16 - 35 μg/m3, unhealthy for sensitive groups: 36 - 65 μg/m3, unhealthy: 66 - 150 μg/m3, very unhealthy: 151 - 250 μg/m3, and hazardous: 251 - 300 μg/m3). Based on the AQI, it is evident that there were 8% days of moderate air quality, 28% days of unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, 55% days of unhealthy air quality, and 9% days of very unhealthy air quality during the study period. Results suggest that major sources of emissions affecting Jeddah include industrial sources along with contributions from mobile sources and wind-blown dust. This study highlights the importance of focusing control strategies not only on reducing PM concentration, but also on the reduction components of the PM as well; to most effectively protect human health and the environment.