Impact of Dust Origin on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases Hospital Admissions

Previous research suggests that aerosols and dust can act as effective mechanisms to spread microbes, likely having a negative impact on human health.  Further, it is apparent that the specific types of bacteria carried on aerosols can vary based upon the origin of the dust and the trajectory it has taken.  Here, we build upon the research of Gat et al. (2017) to determine if varying source regions and pathways of dust result Using a methodology consistent with previous literature, we determine specific “dust days” in Be’er Sheva, Israel from 2000 through 2015 using half-hourly PM10 data obtained from a monitoring station in Be’er Sheva and thoroughly quality controlled by the Technion Center of Excellence in Exposure Science and Environmental Health Air Pollution Monitoring Database.  Using the HYSPLIT model on dust days, we calculate 72-hour back trajectories for 0, 200, and 500m above ground level to determine both the origin of the dust and path it has taken prior to its arrival in Be’er Sheva.  We group the trajectories into distinct clusters to allow for the comparison between various dust origin regions and pathways with human health.