Investigating the Potential Toxic Dust Pool Generated by the Shrinking of the Great Salt Lake

Abstract

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) found in the Salt Lake Valley is a remnant of Lake Bonneville. In the 1980's the GSL reached record high water levels. But by 2022, the lake has been drying up and reached record low water levels. Previous research using seven years of Purple Air Network data has shown that particulate air pollution levels, PM2.5 and PM10, are worse within 10km of the Great Salt Lake. Other research investigating the distribution of toxic heavy metals (Copper, Arsenic, Lead and Zinc) in topsoil samples from throughout the Salt Lake valley showed that some of the highest levels of Copper and Arsenic pollution were found near Saltair among dried sediments on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake. This study involved collecting numerous samples from the dried shoreline of the Great Salt Lake and analysing them for their heavy metal contents using Xray Fluorescence. The heavy metals were then mapped and linked to sediment particle sizes and pH to indicate where the most toxic sediments are located, and where the sediments that are most easily picked up by the wind are located. The maps of heavy metals will be used with our analysis of the Purple Air Network and wind rose data from our previous study to show where toxic dust clouds are most likely to be an issue to the population. Links with 2016 Asthma ER visits and Hospitalizations will also be investigated.