Assessment of PM_(10) Concentrations in Kuwait Using High Volume Air Samplers

摘要

Daily levels of outdoor PM_(10) were monitored using HVAS at 40 locations over the winter and spring seasons of 2009 at the four power stations in Kuwait. A conversion factor, which has been derived for a similar environment (i.e., Bullhead City in Arizona), was used to calculate the TSP concentrations which were then compared to the KEPA standards. This revealed an alarming fact that the TSP concentrations were in violation of the KEPA standard at almost all of the locations. This can be attributed to the nature of the State of Kuwait and most of the countries in the Arabian Peninsula being arid with mainly sandy soils in general. This study was followed by an indoor assessment of PM_(10) levels to assess how and what fraction can be attributed to the seepage of particulates from the ambient air into the indoor environment.