Saharan dust and Etna ash: what they are and how to protect the air at home

Two natural phenomena, increasingly frequent

When we think of air pollution we think of traffic, industry and heating. In Italy, however, there are also two natural sources of fine particles that, on certain days, weigh on the air as much as man-made ones or more: Saharan dust, which reaches the whole peninsula, and ash from Mount Etna, which falls on eastern Sicily.

They are different phenomena, but they have one thing in common: they bring very small mineral particles into the air, which easily get indoors too. And according to the European atmosphere monitoring service Copernicus, Saharan dust episodes are becoming more frequent and more intense.

Saharan dust

Saharan dust is extremely fine sand lifted by winds in the desert and carried for thousands of kilometres. It reaches Italy mainly with the sirocco wind and with weather systems forming over North Africa, in any season: you can recognise it by the yellowish or milky sky and, when it rains, by the "mud rain" that leaves marks on cars, windows and balconies.

Saharan dust weighs mainly on PM10, but it also contains finer particles. On episode days it can push air quality beyond the limits even in normally clean areas, and it adds to the pollution already present in cities.

Ash from Mount Etna

During its most intense eruptive phases Etna emits ash clouds that, depending on the wind, fall on Catania and the surrounding towns. Volcanic ash is made of tiny fragments of rock and volcanic glass: besides the visible grains that cover roads, balconies and cars, the fallout also contains particles the size of PM10 and smaller.

The most delicate moment is often not the ashfall itself but the following days: accumulated ash is stirred up again by wind and traffic and returns to the air until roads and outdoor areas are cleaned. Added to this are volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, which can be noticed by their pungent smell in the areas closest to the volcano.

Who should take extra care

Dust and ash do not affect everyone in the same way. Those most affected are people with asthma, COPD, respiratory allergies or heart conditions, children, who breathe more air relative to their weight, and older adults. For them, reducing exposure on episode days is particularly important.

What to do during an episode

1. Stay informed: check the air quality index for your area (your regional ARPA agency or the EEA European index) and, for Etna ash, INGV bulletins and your municipality's notices.
2. Keep windows closed during the hours of highest concentration and air the rooms when levels drop.
3. Outdoors, wear a well-fitted FFP2 mask, especially during ashfall and street cleaning; avoid outdoor exercise on the worst days.
4. Clean with damp methods: do not sweep or dry-vacuum dust and ash on balconies, sills and floors, as this puts them back into the air. Use damp cloths and mops, and for ash follow your municipality's collection instructions.
5. In the car, switch on air recirculation in areas with dust or ash.
6. Do not add indoor pollution on critical days: no candles, incense, smoking or prolonged frying.

Where an air purifier helps

Even with the windows closed, some fine particles get indoors through gaps, doors and air exchange. A purifier running continuously in the rooms you use most reduces what remains suspended in the air:

• the medical-grade HEPA filter captures fine dust and ash particles: according to official Austin Air data, 99.97% of particles at 0.3 µm and 99% at 0.1 µm;
• the pre-filter is the first to stop larger particles: during and after an episode it is worth vacuuming it more often, always without removing it, using the soft brush attachment;
• the activated carbon and zeolite, up to 6.8 kg in standard models, adsorb odors and gases; for those living near Etna, Austin Air indicates the HealthMate Plus as more effective on sulfur dioxide as well.

Which Austin Air model to choose

• HealthMate®: the choice for general use, with a medical-grade HEPA filter for dust and fine particles and non-impregnated activated carbon and zeolite for odors and VOCs.
• HealthMate Plus®: with added potassium iodide-impregnated carbon, more effective on gases such as sulfur dioxide near Etna or those from city traffic.
• HealthMate Junior: for rooms up to 40 m², for example the bedroom.

In summary

Saharan dust and Etna ash are natural phenomena Italians have always lived with, but dust episodes are increasingly frequent, and ash, where it falls, can stay in the air for days. Staying informed, closing windows at the worst times, protecting yourself outdoors and cleaning the right way greatly reduces exposure; a purifier with a medical-grade HEPA filter and activated carbon completes the protection in the rooms where you spend the most time.

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