Radioactive dust over Poland. "No alarming signals"
Calima has reached Poland. Sand and dust particles from the Sahara Desert has once again appeared over Europe. This time, however, it’s description sounds dangerous as radioactive elements have been detected in the dust. Is there anything to be worried about?
Calima is a meteorological phenomenon, appearing over Poland at the turn of spring and summer. It usually manifests itself with a characteristic orange deposit on cars and buildings. Dust from over the Sahara is brought to Poland along with the tropical air.
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"The zone of this dust is moving from the southern part of the country towards the north, but the values are small compared to what we have had to deal with during previous incidents of this type," reports Grzegorz Walijewski, spokesman for the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, in an interview with WP abcZdrowie
Calima's impact on health is significant
Exposure to dust from the desert is similar to being around a campfire. Eye irritation, conjunctival tearing, runny nose, coughing, hoarseness, itching, and irritation of the respiratory tract may occur. Allergy sufferers and asthmatics are particularly vulnerable to the irritating effects of Calima.
Radioactive elements over Poland
These health issues are not the only element of concern for scientists as they have detected the presence of radioactive elements, such as beryllium, lead and Caesium-137 isotope of caesium, in Calima dust. Beryllium and lead are highly poisonous elements, while Caesium-137 shows radioactive properties.
According to the announcement of the National Atomic Energy Agency, however, the clouds of dust from over the Sahara is not dangerous. "We did not record any alarming signals from the early detection station for radioactive contamination," representatives of the agency informed in a statement.
