Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Sheykh Rabiee M R, Gholamnia R. Comparative Evaluation of Dust Control Strategies in Arid Regions of Iran: A Review on the Role of Watershed Management and Health Consequences. J Environ Health Eng 2026; 14 :66-85
URL: http://jehe.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1169-en.html
URL: http://jehe.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1169-en.html
1- University of Applied Science and Technology , rabiee@uast.ac.ir
2- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
2- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
Abstract: (7 Views)
Background: Dust storms and airborne particulate matter constitute major environmental and public health challenges across Iran’s arid and semi-arid regions. These phenomena adversely affect human health and contribute to the destroy of soil and water resources, ecosystem instability, and land degradation. This systematic review aimed to comparatively assess the effectiveness and health implications of major dust mitigation strategies, with particular emphasis on the potential role of integrated watershed management.
Materials and Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed without temporal restrictions in the national databases SID, Magiran, and Civilica and the international databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The search strategy incorporated the keywords “Dust,” “Watershed Management,” and “Health,” along with relevant combinations and related terms. Of the 247 records initially identified, 35 peer-reviewed articles and scientific reports met the predefined eligibility criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Dust mitigation interventions were classified into four principal categories: (1) biological measures, including the establishment of drought- and stress-tolerant vegetation; (2) mechanical measures, such as the application of mulches and the construction of windbreaks; (3) management-based measures, including grazing exclusion and land-use modification; and (4) watershed management interventions, primarily involving runoff regulation, soil and water conservation, and vegetation restoration. The identified interventions were comparatively evaluated with respect to implementation costs, dust-suppression effectiveness, long-term sustainability, and potential human health implications.
Results:
The evidence indicated that watershed management interventions, particularly runoff management and the restoration of vegetation using drought-tolerant native species, including Haloxylon, Tamarix, and Nitraria can contribute to the stabilization of dust-source areas, enhance soil moisture, improve vegetation cover, and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
Compared with chemical mulching, watershed-based approaches generally demonstrated greater long-term environmental sustainability and fewer potential adverse health and ecological consequences. Across the included studies, exposure to dust and airborne particulate matter was associated with a 23–40% increase in respiratory morbidity, including asthma and chronic bronchitis, and with the exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion:
The available evidence suggests that integrated watershed management represents one of the most sustainable and potentially least harmful approaches to dust mitigation in Iran’s arid and semi-arid regions. The findings support the need to revise and strengthen watershed management policies in western and southwestern Iran and to promote integrated, ecosystem-based, and transboundary approaches to dust mitigation. Strengthening regional water diplomacy and cooperation with neighboring countries is also recommended to address the transboundary drivers of dust generation and support long-term environmental and public health protection.
Materials and Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed without temporal restrictions in the national databases SID, Magiran, and Civilica and the international databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The search strategy incorporated the keywords “Dust,” “Watershed Management,” and “Health,” along with relevant combinations and related terms. Of the 247 records initially identified, 35 peer-reviewed articles and scientific reports met the predefined eligibility criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Dust mitigation interventions were classified into four principal categories: (1) biological measures, including the establishment of drought- and stress-tolerant vegetation; (2) mechanical measures, such as the application of mulches and the construction of windbreaks; (3) management-based measures, including grazing exclusion and land-use modification; and (4) watershed management interventions, primarily involving runoff regulation, soil and water conservation, and vegetation restoration. The identified interventions were comparatively evaluated with respect to implementation costs, dust-suppression effectiveness, long-term sustainability, and potential human health implications.
Results:
The evidence indicated that watershed management interventions, particularly runoff management and the restoration of vegetation using drought-tolerant native species, including Haloxylon, Tamarix, and Nitraria can contribute to the stabilization of dust-source areas, enhance soil moisture, improve vegetation cover, and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
Compared with chemical mulching, watershed-based approaches generally demonstrated greater long-term environmental sustainability and fewer potential adverse health and ecological consequences. Across the included studies, exposure to dust and airborne particulate matter was associated with a 23–40% increase in respiratory morbidity, including asthma and chronic bronchitis, and with the exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion:
The available evidence suggests that integrated watershed management represents one of the most sustainable and potentially least harmful approaches to dust mitigation in Iran’s arid and semi-arid regions. The findings support the need to revise and strengthen watershed management policies in western and southwestern Iran and to promote integrated, ecosystem-based, and transboundary approaches to dust mitigation. Strengthening regional water diplomacy and cooperation with neighboring countries is also recommended to address the transboundary drivers of dust generation and support long-term environmental and public health protection.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/06/10 | Accepted: 2026/08/18 | Published: 2026/08/29
Received: 2026/06/10 | Accepted: 2026/08/18 | Published: 2026/08/29
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
