191-199

• Abu-Allaban, Mahmoud
• El-Khalili, Mohammed

Several recent studies have pointed out that the northern parts of Jordan are exposed to high levels of ground ozone. North Jordan is a wealthy reservoir of ancient heritage including six out of the ten Decapolis Cities. It is alleged that air pollution-via acid deposition- has led to the deterioration and erosion of buildings, structures, statues, and monuments. Therefore, this research is conducted to assess air quality at Gadara, the capital of the ancient Decapolis and to come up with mitigation measures that have to be adopted in order to save the ancient heritage from further deterioration. Measurements revealed that most criteria air pollutants including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide attain corresponding national ambient air quality standards. However, ground ozone, which is believed to expedite the deterioration rate of rocks in the presence of acids as they act as a catalytic agent, exceeds the limit recommended by the World Health Organization of 50 ppb.

• Environmental engineering
• Chemical sciences

• Environmental geography

Decapolis, Gadara, air pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ground ozone

1. Adema E, Heeres P. (1995) Dry deposition of sulphur dioxide and ammonia on wet surfacesand the surface oxidation kinetics of bisulphate. Atmospheric Environment,29(10), 1091–1103.Asaf D, Pedersen D, Peleg M, Matveev V, Luria M. (2008) Evaluation of Background Levelsof Air Pollutants Over Israel. Atmospheric Environment 42(36), 8453-8463.Boubel R W, Fox D L, Turner D B, and Stern, A C. (1994) Effects on Materials and Structures.Fundamentals of Air Pollution, 3rd ed. Academic Press, New York.Brent MacDonald. The Decapolis city near Galilee.http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/pqna63.htm. Retrieved on 24/6/2013.Dockery D W, Pope C A. (1994) Acute respiratory effects of particulate air pollution. AnnualRevision Public Health 15, 107–132.Frevel C. (2005) Medien im antiken Palästina. Pages 189-236. Mohr Siebeck. Tübingen,Germany.Elfving P. (1994a) Aspects on the air pollution induced deterioration of calcareous stonematerial. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. ISBN9170329702, 9789170329708.Elfving P, Panas I, Lindqvist O. (1994b) Model study of the first steps in the deteriorationof calcareous stone I. Initial surface sulphite formation on calcite. Applied SurfaceScience 74(1), 91-98.Elfving P, Panas I, Lindqvist O. (1994c) Model study of the first steps in the deteriorationof calcareous stone II. Sulphate formation on calcite. Applied Surface Science78(1), 83-92.Holy Bible (2011): Mthew 8:28. New International Version. Biblica, Colorado Springs,USA.Holy Land Photos. www.HolyLandPhotos.org. Retrieved on July 20,2013.Johnson J, Montgomery M, Thompson G, Wood G, Sage P, Cooke M. (1996) The influenceof combustion-derived pollutants on limestone deterioration: 1. The dry depositionof pollutant gases. Corrosion Science 38(1), 105–131.Kallos G, Astitha M, Katsafados P, Spyrou C. (2007) Long-Range Transport of Anthropogenicallyand Naturally Produced Particulate Matter in the Mediterranean andNorth Atlantic: Current State of Knowledge. Applied Meteorology and Climatology46: 1230-1251.Kerner, S. (1989-1994), The Near East In Antiquity I-IV. Al-Kutba , Amman.Knox G. (2008) Atmospheric pollutants and mortalities in English local authority areas.Epidemiol Community Health 62(5), 442-447.Laden F, Neas L M, Dockery D W, Schwartz J. (2000) Association of Fine Particulate Matterfrom Different Sources with Daily Mortality in Six U.S. Cities. EnvironmentalHealth Perspectives 108(10), 941–947.Martin L R. (1984) Kinetic studies of sulphite oxidation in aqueous solutions. In SO2, NOand NO2 oxidation mechanisms: Atmospheric Considerations. Acid precipitationseries, Vol. 3. Butterworth, Boston. J.G. Calvert (Ed.), Chapter 2, pp. 63-100.Massey S W. (1999) The effects of ozone and NOx on the deterioration of calcareousstone. The Science of the Total Environment 227(2-3), 109-121.Mershen B. (1992) Settlement History and Village Space in Late Ottoman Northern Jordan.Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan. 4: 409–416. Departmentof Antiquities, Amman, Jordan.Nielsen I, Andersen F G, Holm-Nielsen S. (1993), Die Byzantinischen Thermen. HarrassowitzVerlag, Wiesbaden, Germany.Pope C A , Thun M J, Namboodira M, Dockery D W, Evans J S , Speizer F E, Heath C WJr.(1995) Particulate air pollution as a predictor of mortality in a prospectivestudy of US adults. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 151,669–674.Pope C A, Burnett R T, Thun M J, Calle E E, Krewski D, Ito K, Thurston G D (2002): LungCancer, Cardiopulmonary Mortality, and Long-term Exposure to Fine ParticulateAir Pollution. Journal of American Medical Association 287(9), 1132-1141.Sabersky R H, Senima D A, Shair F H. (1973): Concentrations, decay rates, and removal ofozone and their relation to establishing clean indoor air. Environmental ScienceTechnology 7(4):347-353.Segal A. (1988) Town Planning and Architecture in Provincia Arabia. The Cities along theVia Traiana Nova in the 1st – 3rd Centuries. B.A.R., Oxford.Wanger A, Peleg M, Sharf G, Mahrer Y, Dayan U, Kallos G, Kotroni V, Lagouvardos K,Varinou M, Papadopoulos A, Luria M. (2000) Some observational and modelingevidence of long-range transport of air pollutants from Europe toward the Israelicoast. Geophysical Research 105(D6), 7177–7186.Weber T.(1989) Umm Qais – Gadara of the Decapolis. Economic Press Co. Amman, Jordan.Weinroth E, Luria M, Emery C, Ben-Nun A, Bornstein R, Kaplan J, Peleg M, Mahrer Y.(2008) Simulation of Mideast Transboundary Ozone Transport: A Source ApportionmentCase Study. Atmospheric Environment 42: 3700-3716.World Health Organization (2000).Guidelines for Air Quality”.World Health Organization,Geneva.World Health Organization (2007).Estimated deaths & DALYs attributable to selectedenvironmental risk factors, by WHO Member State, 2002. Department of PublicHealth & Environnment, Geneva.