(71a) Strategies to Understand Dust Transport and Screen for Potential Health Impacts

Globally, arid and semi-arid lands cover approximately one third of the Earth’s land surface, and our changing climate is expanding the extent of these lands. The Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a prime example of this phenomena. It is at historically low levels, with more than 750 mi² of exposed lakebed, some of which contain elevated levels of toxic metals, such as lead and arsenic. Under appropriate meteorological conditions, portions of this exposed lakebed produce substantial dust plumes, and the prevailing winds can transport this dust directly into the highly populated Wasatch Front. However, regulatory measurements capable of capturing dust (PM10, particulate matter smaller than 10 µm in diameter) are sparse, sparser than measurements of PM2.5 (PM smaller than 2.5 µm in diameter). Although low-cost sensors could supplement regulatory monitors, as numerous studies have shown for PM2.5 concentration, most of these sensors are not effective at measuring PM10 despite claims by sensor manufacturers. This study focuses on understanding dust transport using novel low-cost sensor measurement strategies and as well as screening results to understand the oxidative potential of dust from the GSL.