The likelihood of Cyprus’ atmosphere being affected by chemical pollutants carried through dust episodes that may be linked to hostilities in the region is infinitesimal, said the Labour Inspection Department’s Air Quality Section head Chrysanthos Savvides on Wednesday.
Speaking to CNA, Savvides said that, based on scientific data and analyses carried out in the past in two separate cases of hostilities in Syria and Israel, no concentrations of substances associated with the use of chemical weapons were detected.
As he explained, the Department collects dust samples from the atmosphere and sends them for analysis to the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which examines around 40 different chemical substances known to be potentially linked to the use of chemical weapons.
Infinitesimal concentrations
According to the official, even if such substances are present, they are at levels below the detection limit of the instruments, meaning that any infinitesimal concentration in the dust does not result in any measurable impact on air quality.
Savvides said the reason is “simple and scientifically documented”, as these chemical substances have a very short lifespan in the atmosphere and cannot travel such long distances. He added that this applies even more in the case of Iran, which is farther from Cyprus than Syria and Israel.
Desert and dust
He said that, for there to be any possibility of Cyprus being affected, two conditions would have to be met at the same time: hostilities would need to be taking place near desert areas and a dust episode would need to develop and move from that area towards Cyprus.
Referring to the situation today, the Air Quality Section head said there is currently no dust in the atmosphere, while noting that no impact from such an episode was recorded in recent days either.
He also explained that dust episodes are monitored by the Meteorology Department as a meteorological phenomenon through specialised models, with the Department of Labour Inspection in close cooperation with the Meteorological Service.
At the same time, he said the Department, as the competent authority for air quality, records measurements of atmospheric pollutants at ground level, that is, at the height where people breathe, with stations placed around one and a half to two metres above the ground, with the aim of protecting human health.
Regarding a possible dust episode at the end of last week, Savvides said it did not affect Cyprus, adding that the rains worked positively, as they “help clear the atmosphere,” with no related pollutant recorded by the measuring instruments.
Source: CNA