Geographers from Moscow State University have identified one of the main sources of air pollution in Moscow

This was reported at the Conference at the Russian Academy of Sciences «Natural Hazards and Disasters»

The largest contribution, comparable to aerosols, to air pollution in Moscow is made by road dust. This was announced at the conference “Natural Hazards and Disasters”, which took place on Thursday at the Russian Academy of Sciences as part of the “Laverov Readings-2024”, the president of the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University. Lomonosov Nikolay Kasimov.

Photo: Gennady Cherkasov

He said that the most important sources of dust are the Moscow Ring Road and courtyards-wells, as well as areas near parking lots. The scientist noted that the chemical components of road dust, for example, from the Moscow Ring Road, and aerosols are similar. But there is another, no less significant source of air pollution — railway dust. Scientists studied it at the Kievsky and Leningradsky railway stations in Moscow. Such “railroad” dust differs significantly in the presence of metal shavings in its composition, which appear as a result of abrasion of the rails. One of the distinctive components of «railway» dust is the soft metal molybdenum.

It is known that in large doses this substance has a toxic effect, primarily on plants.