Particulates

An "exceptional" dust cloud from the Sahara is choking parts of Europe, the continent's climate monitor said yesterday, causing poor air quality and coating windows and cars in grime.

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said the latest plume, the third of its kind in recent weeks, was bringing hazy conditions to southern Europe and would sweep northward as far as Scandinavia.

A dust storm originating from the Sahara Desert is sweeping across Istanbul, prompting health warnings from experts due to potential adverse effects on respiratory health.

The dust clouds, propelled by strong winds, reached Türkiye from the Sahara Desert and engulfed Istanbul during the midnight hours, impacting some districts.

The highest concentrations of African dust were recorded in southern Greece on Thursday, according to the National Observatory of Athens. 

The concentrations of PM10 particles exceeded 180 μg/m³ at noon and then gradually started decreasing. 

Only 10 countries and territories out of 134 achieved the World Health Organization's standards for a pervasive form of air pollution last year, according to air quality data compiled by IQAir, a Swiss company.

Recent research conducted by the ecological association "For the Earth" has shed light on concerning levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Sofia, primarily attributed to traffic emissions.

Bangkok city employees have been told to work from home to avoid harmful air pollution, as a layer of noxious haze blanketed the Thai capital on Thursday.

City authorities asked for cooperation from employers to help workers in the city of about 11 million people avoid the pollution, which is expected to last into Friday.

Analyzing data from air quality monitoring stations, Greenpeace Mediterranean has identified 20 regions with the highest air pollution in Türkiye, with the southeastern quake-hit province of Hatay's Iskenderun district ranking first.

The onset of the New Year has ushered in a worrying surge in pollution across Bulgaria. Reports from the European Air Quality Index have flagged 11 cities in the country, including Sofia, for hazardous levels of particulate matter, double the permissible limits.

A concerning breach of air quality standards has been raised by the civic platform, https://airsofia.info/, triggering a red flag for the city's air pollution crisis.

Reports indicate a startling doubling of pollution levels in various parts of Sofia, hitting a staggering 50 micrograms per cubic meter, way beyond acceptable limits.

A groundbreaking study has uncovered a significant connection between air pollution and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.