[National] Yellow dust worse than previously thought

When a powerful yellow dust storm swept the Korean Peninsula on April 8-9, densities of some heavy metals were significantly higher than usual. According to the data released by the Environment Ministry, which analyzed heavy metal densities in the atmosphere of major cities, densities of iron and manganese were 12 and 9 times higher respectively than April last year, when there was no yellow dust storm. Their densities were also observed at four and three times higher than the average found between 2002 and 2005.

The densities of lead, cadmium and chrome, which are especially harmful in large quantities, were not so severe, but in some areas they were observed three times higher than April last year when no yellow sand storm hit here.

In Incheon, the lead density was observed at 0.1252 micrograms per cubic meter, the highest in the nation, while in Gwangju, it increased most severely to 0.0784 micrograms per cubic meter from an average 0.0345 micrograms per cubic meter. But all these density levels are far lower than an annual baseline ,0.5 micrograms per cubic meter, used by the ministry.

In Seoul, the density of cadmium was found most severe at 0.0059 micrograms per cubic meter, while in Gwangju, it increased from 0.0008 to 0.0024 micrograms per cubic meter recording the highest rate of increase. In the case of cadmium, the nation has no baseline, and the limit of the World Health Organization (WHO) is 0.005 micrograms per cubic meter.

Chrome density was highest among the country's seven major cities in Seoul, which recorded 0.0274 micrograms per cubic meter. It increased most severely in Daegu, from 0.0046 to 0.0131 micrograms per cubic meter.

About such findings, ministry official Jeong Jin-su said, "When the yellow dust storm swept here, the soil content of less harmful heavy metals such as iron and manganese. Although seriously harmful heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chrome didn’t increase very much, people have to be careful because those metals can affect their health."

Kim Jeong-su, [e-mail]