title: Saharan dust and the impact on adult and elderly allergic patients: the effect of threshold values in the northern sector of Gran Canaria, Spain.
abstract: Gran Canaria Island is frequently impacted by Saharan dust, a health hazard of particular concern to the island population and health agencies. Airborne mineral dust has the severest impact on the higher age groups of the population, and those with respiratory conditions; despite that, on average, the ambient particulate matter (PM) concentrations fall within international PM guidelines. During 2010 and 2011, an epidemiological survey, in parallel with an air quality study, was conducted at the Dr Negrín hospital in Gran Canaria. This included the quarterly monitoring of outpatients and recording of emergency patients with respiratory diseases, together with the measurement of aerosol, meteorological, and PM-related air quality levels. The finer more toxic particles were collected with PM2.5(particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) aerosol samplers. The filter samples were gravimetrically and chemically analyzed for their elemental, water-soluble ions, carbon, and mineralogical contents. Individual particle morphology was measured by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Statistical analysis of the chemical and clinical data included the analysis of variance and calculation of Spearman correlation coefficients. No statistically significant relations were found between the allergic control group, the emergency room admissions, pulmonary conditions, medication, and elevated Saharan dust levels. However, changing environmental conditions, such as an increase in humidity or a reduction in ambient air temperature made a significant difference to the outcomes recorded on the health statements of the allergic and respiratory illness groups of the Gran Canary population.
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG , Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ULPGC , Canary Islands , Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.affiliation: b Department of Geography , Royal Holloway, University of London , Egham , UK.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Derbyshire
authors.affiliation: c Sección de Alergología , Hospital Universitario Dr. Negrín , Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.affiliation: c Sección de Alergología , Hospital Universitario Dr. Negrín , Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.affiliation: d Division of Atmospheric Sciences , Desert Research Institute , Reno , NV , USA.
authors.forename: Johann P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Engelbrecht
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG , Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ULPGC , Canary Islands , Spain.
authors.forename: Lidia E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG , Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ULPGC , Canary Islands , Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: c Sección de Alergología , Hospital Universitario Dr. Negrín , Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , Spain.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez de Castro
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG , Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ULPGC , Canary Islands , Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mangas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Canary Islands; Natural mineral particles (NMP); Saharan dust geochemistry; allergic patients; epidemiology