Record-setting dust storms in the Phoenix area have produced miles-high walls of dirt and debris, pushing particulate pollution to levels that can threaten healthy adults as well as children, older people and residents with medical vulnerabilities.
The storms have prompted rare air-quality episode alerts, while Phoenix suburbs have ranked among the nation's dirtiest areas in recent weeks. Emergency-room and urgent-care visits typically rise after major dust storms, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Particulate matter includes dust, dirt, soot, smoke and liquid droplets, including particles small enough to require an electron microscope to detect.
Glory Hammes, chief executive of IQAir's North American division, said respiratory effects are well recognized but heart-related risks receive less attention. She said particulate readings have reached levels categorized as very unhealthy even for people without underlying conditions.
Real-time air-quality monitoring in the Phoenix area allows residents to track conditions during and after storms and see how long elevated pollution persists.
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