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Iceland’s volcanic eruption stokes toxic gas fears

February 4, 2015

Iceland’s volcanic eruption stokes toxic gas fears

The Holuhraun eruption is emitting high volumes of toxic gases and raising health and environmental concerns.

Reykjavik, Iceland – For the past five months, Icelandic weather forecasts have included daily updates on the movement of noxious gas plumes emitted by the ongoing Holuhraun volcanic eruption.

Poisonous gas appeared in late August last year soon after Holuhraun began to spew molten rock. “Most of the gas is sulphur dioxide, water and carbon dioxide,” said Thorolfur Gudnason, a medical professional with Iceland’s Directorate of Health. “The other gases occur in much lower quantities.”

Sulphur dioxide, which causes respiratory, eye and throat problems, is responsible for most of the eruption-related health issues, said Gudnason.

“But carbon dioxide can be dangerous to those who work near the volcano itself,” he said, referring to scientists studying the lava field.

The 85sq km lava field is the size of Manhattan and located far from inhabited areas in a remote central part of Iceland, just north of the Vatnajokull glacier in an area known as Holuhraun, from which the volcano gets its name.

Unlike the smaller, 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption, which spouted ash and disrupted air traffic across Europe, Holuhraun doesn’t spew ash – this only happens when the eruption occurs beneath a glacier.

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