Measurement and Evaluation of Dust Concentrations in the Air After the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake in Turkey

Tuğçe Oral (), Müge Ensari Özay, Rüştü Uçan, Dilek Aker, Emine Can and Bengisu Altınten
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Tuğçe Oral: Occupational Health and Safety Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Usküdar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey
Müge Ensari Özay: Occupational Health and Safety Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Usküdar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey
Rüştü Uçan: Occupational Health and Safety Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Usküdar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey
Dilek Aker: Nuclear Technology and Radiation Safety Department, Vocational School of Health Sciences, Usküdar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey
Emine Can: Department of Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul 34720, Turkey
Bengisu Altınten: Continuing Education Application and Research Center, Usküdar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The 6 February 2023 earthquake in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, caused significant debris accumulation, raising concerns about air quality and public health. This study assessed dust concentrations during debris removal and emergency response efforts over a five-day period. Post-disaster respirable and total dust concentrations were measured using dust monitoring devices and the MDHS-14/3 gravimetric method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses identified fibrous structures and elements associated with asbestos, suggesting potential long-term health risks such as asbestosis and lung cancer. The average respirable dust concentration was 30.84 mg/m 3 , and the total dust concentration was 33.66 mg/m 3 . The findings emphasize the urgent need for protective measures to mitigate exposure risks for affected populations and emergency responders. Integrating health risk assessments into disaster management strategies are crucial to reducing long-term public health impacts.

Keywords: Kahramanmaraş earthquake; disaster dust exposure; fibrous structures; mdhs-14/3 method; respirable and total dust; post-disaster air quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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