Air quality in the ash fallout area

Air quality due to particulate matter (PM10) is routinely measured in the ash fallout zone after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.

However, the health effects/risks are very poorly known. This applies both to short-and long time exposure.

There has been somewhat different advise, depending on the sources. Especially regarding infants - where I would advise not letting infants sleep outdoors if the level of pollution exceeds, well definitely 300 micro-g/m3 (micro-grams per cubic meter), and personally not even if it is over 100 micro-g/m3 (μg/m³).

The chart below, in Icelandic, show the color coding I use (adopted from a variety of sources). Green if concentration of particulate matter (PM10) is below 50 micro-g/m3, yellow if between 50 and 100 micro-g/m3, orange to gold between 100 to 300 micro-g/m3, and red if over 300 micro-g/m3.

Using these colors, the daily averages at stations close to the Eyjafjallajökull (and if above health limit due to resuspended ash in Reykjavik area), are shown below.

On the 19 June 2010 the level of PM10 in Vík, Heimaland, and Hvolsvöllur was generally good. At Vík it was just over the health limit (around 70 micro-g/m3; 24-hour average), but well below at Heimaland and Hvolsvöllur.

Hopefully rain and vegetation will continue to keep the levels low !