Airstrikes on Iran’s Oil Facilities Spewed as Much Toxic Sulfur as an Erupting Volcano
Recent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian oil facilities released significant amounts of toxic sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. A study revealed that the pollution from these strikes was comparable to that produced by volcanic eruptions. Experts are now advocating for improved atmospheric monitoring to address environmental emergencies in the region.
- ▪The airstrikes on March 7 released 29,800 tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
- ▪This amount is equivalent to several days of emissions from Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano.
- ▪Residents reported health issues such as headaches and breathing difficulties following the attacks.
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Human rights groups and United Nations researchers called it “black rain.” The surprise joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian oil facilities last March propelled toxic and highly acidic clouds of soot and aerosolized oil into the region’s cloud cover in the wake of the attacks, casting a literal black pall across the land.cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"92b7b46b-43ed-4e0e-b21b-2c999302d9d7","settings":{"advertising":{"macros":{"AD_UNIT":"/23178111854/od.gizmodo.com/article","CHILD_UNIT":"article","POST_ID":"2000764675","POST_TYPE":"post","CHANNEL":"earther","SECTION":"environmental-justice","SUBSECTION":"","CATEGORIES":"environmental-justice","TAGS":"acid-rain,air-pollution,atmospheric-science,iran-war","NOP":"0"},"timeBeforeFirstAd":0}}}).render("cnx-player-main")}); Experts…
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