Diesel particulates or something stranger !!

[bikergraham]

Could any of you budding scientists out there throw some light on this for me.I live virtually on top [ not literally ] of one of the busy main roads here in Plymouth.My wife suffers badly with asthma which has got worse over the years,this i would say is not helped by the amount of pollution and more importantly diesel particulates in the atmosphere.I have noticed over the last few years and in particular since ive put up a car port that im getting a red [ blood red ] colour almost like someone has sprayed it,attaching itself onto the concrete capping on the outside walls ,and more importantly lately on top of my carport roof which is twin wall plastic,looks like red water residue.Now i know we occasionally get the red dust blown across from the Sahara dessert but its definitely not that.
 We do get small black particles on the window cills if the windows are left open for long periods on the white paint that is.

 My question is -- could the red colouration be caused by diesel particulates which when mixed with rain water be the cause of this .It can easily be removed with a pressure washer does anybody else get this phenomenom.Its very strange.

[Jed Clampit]

The red residue is a form of algae bloom blown around by the wind when it dry's out when it get's wet it will stick and grow you get more of it these day's with warm wet whether not sure if you breath it in if it will make asthma worse but if swallowed it's poisonous

[ron]

The red residue is a form of algae bloom blown around by the wind when it dry's out when it get's wet it will stick and grow you get more of it these day's with warm wet whether not sure if you breath it in if it will make asthma worse but if swallowed it's poisonous

You clever old git Jed.

[Jed Clampit]

No just a grumpy old git it's just one of the thing's stuck in the back of my head along with the other cell just one up from the amoeba  

[bikergraham]

The red residue is a form of algae bloom blown around by the wind when it dry's out when it get's wet it will stick and grow you get more of it these day's with warm wet whether not sure if you breath it in if it will make asthma worse but if swallowed it's poisonous

Oh.Wow.I didnt expect that.Its only been the last 5 years or so that its been about but what you say makes sense.Silly question but you dont know the name of the algae by any chance so i can Google it ! Thank you anyway for throwing light on something which has had me puzzled for a number years.

[Col]

I have a boat on the Hamble and it gets covered in the same type of residue as you describe. I have always put it down to Fawley power station, or the nearby railway line. both of which the prevailing wind would blow towards my boat.
That was my guess though.

[bikergraham]

I have a boat on the Hamble and it gets covered in the same type of residue as you describe. I have always put it down to Fawley power station, or the nearby railway line. both of which the prevailing wind would blow towards my boat.
That was my guess though.

Hi Col.Nice to hear from you !!! I wonder how common this is ,has anybody else got this phenomenom.It would be interesting what other people think and can add.

[Solent]

When I was a plumber, quite a lot of shower cubicles had tile grouting with a sort of pinky red stain. I used to think it was soap until I discovered it was an airbourne bacteria. Obviously hygeine isn't some house occupiers top priority.

http://www.mold-advisor.com/pink-mold.html

[Trevor]

N/W Kent here and this past year I have noticed a red algae in our bird bath which has not been there in the previous 40 years. Drying the bath out then scrubbing it with a wire brush removed it but it looks like it coming back!

[bikergraham]

Thanks Solent for the very interesting article,im going to print it off for referance.

Sounds like the same thing over there in Kent too.This Algae is certainly more prevalent now it appears.Can of worms comes to mind.!!