Interaction between dust concentration and fluctuating seasonal temperature in Khuzestan province

Dust is a mass of solid particles that diffuses in the atmosphere and diminishes the brightness and limits horizontal visibility. One compelling reason would be climate change that has adverse effects on the environment. Increasing in dust concentration during last decades caused more decline in vegetation in the west of Iran. This is an interactive effect on vegetation cover and dust storms in this area that also have some health risks. Researchers showed a remarkable increase in death rate between respiratory patients by escalating in dust concentrations. Iran is located in dry land of the world, especially the Khuzestan province; thus, dust systems are frequently exposed to having internal and external origin. Drying of wetlands in Khuzestan province leads to dust occurrence exacerbated by winds carrying larger amount of dust from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria towards to the southwest of Iran and numerous deficiencies. Other reasons are the reduction of air humidity, temperature rise, drought, untapped use of water resources, especially groundwater resources. This study attempts to investigate the trend of changes in dust concentration due to fluctuating seasonal temperature in Khuzestan province during about the 30 years from 1993 to 2015. A comparison between temperature and dust concentrations showed the highest rate of dust concentrations in June and July. According to the adverse effects of suspended particles on health and vegetation, knowing he changes in this phenomenon will help to short, medium and long-term national and regional plans to reduce undesirable effects and eradicate this issue.