Study the dust

Last week a major dust storm hit Jordan, shut down Queen Alia international port which is about 50km away from Eilat. 

You can see photos and videos from news list here.

http://www.weather.com/news/news/amman-jordan-sandstorm

http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/rain-dust-storms-reported-several-areas-around-jordan

http://www.albawaba.com/loop/these-photos-show-what-it%E2%80%99s-weather-jordan%E2%80%99s-sandstorm-refugee-camp-725990

http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/08/03/13/54/middle-east-swelters-under-record-temperatures

In Eilat we also experienced power the dust storm, you can tell how dust storm influenced the air clarity by comparing photos took at our apartment before and during it happens .

Dust brings not only negative health issues to human being, it also brings varies kind of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphate and iron into the ocean which could benefit growth of phytoplankton. Varies of elements leached out into seawater after dust deposit to the ocean could alter chemical composition of seawater. My project here is to study sources and distributions of Pb in the gulf. We collect and analyze seawater samples to understand the distribution of Pb, beside that two week ago we set up a dust collector to sample dust. Briefly we pump air through a polycarbonate filter to collect particles in the air onto the filter surface. In following pictures you can see how we place the sampler and connect tubes. The filter was placed about 10 meters above ground to avoid collecting particles from ground and roof. In one of the pictures you can see the dust collected on the filter.

Dust sampler setting, on the top of  a metal stick filter was placed one a holder inside the white bottle, connected through a black tube to a pump

Barack is lifting the stick that filter holder was attached to, below is the air pump inside a controller panel. We will collect dust samples every 7 to 10 days.

Dust particles on the filter form one week sampling, you can see the gray/brown color of the dust. Generally speaking dark color dust is more likely from anthropogenic sources while brown color dust is more likely from the desert.

 After get dust sample we will analyze composition of it and compare this with elements in the seawater. Incorporate information from dust and other Pb sources, we will be able to better understand the sources and distribution of Pb in Gulf of Aqaba.