The UAE has been using a safe and effective cloud-seeding method to make it rain in the country in recent years.
According to WAM, the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), which researches rain enhancement, has used the core-shell NaCl-TiO2 (CNST) material during its cloud seeding operations. Currently, the UAE is the only country that uses CNST.
The CNST seeding material is composed of safe ingredients that are environmentally friendly and pose no risk to public health. This ensures that every cloud seeding operation in the UAE results in rain that is completely harmless.
The material mainly consists of common salt or sodium chloride (90 percent) and a small amount of titanium dioxide (less than 10 percent), which acts as a coating. Both of these ingredients are safe to use for cloud seeding based on the safety regulations in the U.S.
For instance, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the US does not set exposure limits for the cloud-seeding ingredient common salt. Moreover, the amount of titanium dioxide used by the UAE is below the safety threshold set by OSHA.
By using CNST in cloud-seeding, the UAE can effectively and safely induce rain in regions experiencing drought or low rainfall. Thanks to this artificial rain, the country can help its agriculture, water supply, and ecosystem health without risks to the environment or public health.
