Anthropogenic dust: sources, characteristics and emissions

Abstract

Anthropogenic dust (AD), as a crucial component of particulate matter, is defined as dust emitted through modifying or disturbing soil particles directly or indirectly associated with human activities in urban areas, croplands, pasturelands and dry lakes. The sources, characteristics, and impacts of AD remain poorly studied, in contrast to the large body of research on natural dust (ND). This review summarizes scientific findings published since the 1990s regarding the emissions, physical-chemical characteristics, and spatio-temporal distributions of AD from the micro to the global scale. AD accounts for 5%-60% of the global dust loading, with notable spread in existing estimates. Compared with ND, AD has more complex and variable compositions and physical-chemical properties. Influenced by human disturbances, AD exhibits small particle sizes, easily accessible critical friction velocity, and large emissions. Further research should improve the observations and simulations to investigate the complex interactions among AD, climate change, and human health.