Influence of an Extreme Saharan Dust Event on the Air Quality of the West Region of Portugal

Abstract

This paper describes how an extreme Saharan dust event that took place in March 2022 affected the Iberian Peninsula and was noticed not only by the outdoor air quality monitoring stations measuring PM2.5 and PM10 but also by indoor air monitoring systems in Fatima, central Portugal. The observed particulate matter concentrations clearly show the influence that such an event has on the indoor air quality inside buildings and that the magnitude of that influence is also dependent on the specific characteristics of the buildings, mainly the ventilation conditions, as should be expected. Therefore, this study alerts us to the necessity of integrating indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring systems to achieve automated air conditioning systems capable of efficiently controlling both temperature and air cleanliness.