Paphos Life

We are currently at the tail end of a dust storm. In a few months, the values were the highest I have seen. Unfortunately, I can't do automatic records yet and must take manual readings. The figures after "PM" (particulate matter) are the values of dust measured in micrograms per cubic centimetre. I checked it just after midnight.

PM 10 400 to 440 (can thicken mucus in nose and throat)
PM 2.5 300 to 390 (can cause bronchitis in vulnerable people)
PM 1.0 210 to 220 (can enter the the lung alveoli)

There are permitted limits from various countries and the consensus is a maximum of 100 PM 10; 50 PM 2.5; 25 PM 1.0. As can be seen, the values that I measured in the night are way much higher than what is permitted, averaged over a 24-hour period. However, we cannot put too much store on to single measurements because the values change rapidly from time to time. Although my measurements were way over the limit, probably averaged as a single measurement. Nevertheless, even these peak values must be too high to be ignored for the health of persons suffering lung problems.

Today, at 10:30, I am measuring the following values:
PM 10 110 ppm³
PM 2.5 85 ppm³
PM 1.0 38 ppm³
these values are still slightly on the high side, roughly 1/4 of the night-time measurements, but are unlikely to cause distress to people with lung problems, as a general rule.

I reiterate my usual warning that the dust we are measuring here is very fine and practically invisible. The dust that you see on your polished dining room table is much coarser and does not generally cause physiological problems (possibly except allergies)

(Copied from the eastern forum)

It's not too clear here in Polemi. but it is far from a dust storm.

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:21 am It's not too clear here in Polemi. but it is far from a dust storm.

If you think it's far from a dust storm, I'd like to know what instrumentation you use for measuring it. I reiterate that the dust in question is very largely invisible, because the particles are so fine. Many of them are smaller than one micrometre, beyond the limit of the eye. however, the dust that you can see (e.g. as nuclei in mist) is largely benign to humans.

"We are currently at the tail end of a dust storm. In a few months, the values were the highest I have seen."

This doesn't make sense. Do you mean "In the last few months"? As it stands you are projecting to the future while using the past tense.

Devil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:55 am

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:21 am It's not too clear here in Polemi. but it is far from a dust storm.

If you think it's far from a dust storm, I'd like to know what instrumentation you use for measuring it. I reiterate that the dust in question is very largely invisible, because the particles are so fine. Many of them are smaller than one micrometre, beyond the limit of the eye. however, the dust that you can see (e.g. as nuclei in mist) is largely benign to humans.

I am not using any instument to measure it, I am using my eyes.. I can see he distant mountains but not as clearly as usual. Therefore the air is not as clear as it could be.
But when we have bad dust storms sometimes I cannot see the mountains at all..

sorry, Trev, but I must reiterate: as I hope I have made it clear, what you see are large particles. What my post is talking about are very small particles that the eye cannot see – they are also too small to affect the visibility, especially when we are talking about, say, 100 µg/m³, which is very sparse but can be damaging to the respiratory system as we breathe.

Well whatrever they are... we all need to breathe ..