Risks associated with dust hazards are often underappreciated, a gap between the knowledge pool and public awareness that can be costly for impacted communities. This study reviews the emission sources and chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of airborne soil particles (dust) and their effects on human and environmental health and safety in the Pan-American region. American dust originates from both local sources (western United States, northern Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina) and long-range transport from Africa and Asia. Dust properties, as well as the trends and interactions with criteria air pollutants, are summarized. Human exposure to dust is associated with adverse health effects, including asthma, allergies, fungal infections, and premature death. In the Americas, a well-documented and striking effect of soil dust is its association with Coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as Valley fever, an infection caused by inhalation of soil-dwelling fungi unique to this region. Besides human health, dust affects environmental health through nutrients that increase phytoplankton biomass, contaminants that diminish water supply and affect food (crops/fruits/vegetables and ready-to-eat meat), spread crop and marine pathogens, cause Valley fever among domestic and wild animals, transport heavy metals, radionuclides and microplastics, and reduce solar and wind power generation. Dust is also a safety hazard to road transportation and aviation, in the southwestern US where blowing dust is one of the deadliest weather hazards. To mitigate the harmful effects, coordinated regional and international efforts are needed to enhance dust observations and prediction capabilities, soil conservation measures, and Valley fever and other disease surveillance.

中文翻译：

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美洲及其他地区气载土壤粉尘对健康和安全的影响

与粉尘危害相关的风险往往被低估，知识库和公众意识之间的差距对于受影响的社区来说可能代价高昂。本研究回顾了泛美地区大气土壤颗粒（灰尘）的排放源和化学、物理和生物特征及其对人类和环境健康与安全的影响。美国的沙尘既有本地来源（美国西部、墨西哥北部、秘鲁、玻利维亚、智利和阿根廷），也有来自非洲和亚洲的远距离输送。总结了粉尘特性以及趋势和与标准空气污染物的相互作用。人体接触粉尘与不良健康影响有关，包括哮喘、过敏、真菌感染和过早死亡。在美洲，土壤灰尘的一个有据可查的显着影响是它与球孢子菌病有关，通常称为谷热，这是一种由吸入该地区特有的土壤真菌引起的感染。除人类健康外，灰尘还通过增加浮游植物生物量的营养素、减少供水和影响食物（农作物/水果/蔬菜和即食肉类）的污染物、传播农作物和海洋病原体、在家庭和家庭中引起谷热来影响环境健康。野生动物，运输重金属、放射性核素和微塑料，减少太阳能和风力发电。灰尘也是公路运输和航空的安全隐患，在美国西南部，扬尘是最致命的天气危害之一。为了减轻有害影响，