2. Atmospheric dust in Cyprus Class 6B Fourth Latsia Primary School Cyprus

3. Dust storms  A dust storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front blows loose sand and dust from a dry surface.  Dust storm can blow away valuable topsoil, while depositing soil in places where it may not be wanted.  It has been argued that recently, poor management of the Earth's drylands, such as neglecting the fallow system, are increasing dust storms from desert margins and changing both the local and global climate. www.mccullagh.org/.../sandstorm-sahara-desert

4. Sahara desert The Sahara and drylands around the Arabian peninsula are the main source of airborne dust.

5. Dust storms The dust picked up in a dust storm can be carried thousands of kilometers: Sahara dust storms affect Mediterranean region, Grear Britain, influence plankton growth in the Western Atlantic Ocean and are an important source of scarce minerals for the plants of the Amazon rainforest. Dust from the Sahara moves into the North Atlantic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_storm

6. Dust storms Dust storms have been shown to increase the spread of disease across the globe. Germs and funguses have a tendency to bind with dust particles and can therefore spread disease.

7. Saharan Dust Over the Mediterranean Sea http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.p hp?id=12958&oldid=12040 Saharan dust is being swept north over Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to Sicily and Greece. Such storms are common as hot air over the vast African desert is pulled toward the cooler winter air in the north. The strong winds that result carry Saharan dust into the Mediterranean and across Europe.

8. The wind carries Saharan dust over the sea across our island. The atmosphere is cleared of dust by rainfall.

9. Saharan Dust Over Cyprus A large plume of dust (light brown pixels) blowing westward from Syria over the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: October 19, 2002 (MODIS sensor aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite)

10. Saharan Dust Over Cyprus Dust Storm over Cyprus: October 19, 2002 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/quarterly.php?cat_id=7&y= 2002&q=4

11. Atmospheric dust in Cyprus  PM10: airborne particulate matter measuring less than 10 micrometers in diameter.  Acceptable limit for atmospheric dust over a 24 hour period:50μg/m3(micrograms per cubic meter)  When dust enters the Cypriot atmosphere, PM10 concentrations exceed the safety limit set.

12. Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health A study about the effects of daily levels of particulate matter(PM10) and ozone(O3) on hospitalization for cardiovascular and respiratory causes during 1995- 2004.  Cardiovascular incidents rise by 10% while respiratory causes rise by 3% during Saharan dust storms.  The effects of the dust storms on health are much higher since the study did not take into consideration the number of visits to outpatient wards and private doctors.  There is a substantial increase in the number of dust storms hitting the island, from 2-3 a year to 10-16 per annum in recent years.

13. Labor Ministry Air Quality Department Recommendations during a Saharan dust storm  The public and especially the sensitive group of people (children, elderly and patients) are considered to avoid open places.  Workers in open places are considered using appropriate equipment for personal protection

14. Recommendations during a Saharan dust storm

15. In a dust storm we play inside. Don’t play outside when there is dust in the atmosphere.

16. Use appropriate equipment when working outside. Keep windows close in a dust storm.

17. Saharan dust storm- a story Petros doesn't listen to his mother advices and goes outside to play football. Afterwards he coughs.

18. D Elementary school of Latsia Our school during a sunny day

19. D Elementary school of Latsia Our school during a dust storm

20. D Elementary school of Latsia Our school during a dust storm

21. Sustainable development: protect our planet  Sustainable development: aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations.  We need to protect planet Earth for future generations! www.renewableenergyworld.com

22. If we continue to destroy the environment the sky is going to be yellow from the dust!

23. I'm tired! Let me get some rest! I want back my blue color! I don’t want grey!

25. References Middleton,N.,Yiallouros,P.,Kleanthous,S.,Kolokotroni,O.,Schaw rtz,J., Dockery, D.W., et al.(2008). A 10-year time-series analysis of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity in Nicosia, Cyprus: the effect of short-term changes in air pollution and dust storms. Environment Health, 7:39. Acknowledgements We wish to acknowledge dr Panayiotis Yiallouros for providing information for our project.