Dust is one of the main sources of urban air pollution with coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles. Particulate matter contains a wide range of potentially toxic elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, and other contaminants. The chemical composition, as well as the physical characteristics of dust, are determined by various natural and anthropogenic sources, the identification of which is a relevant methodological issue. The distribution of dust through various environments, such as aerosols, precipitation, road dust, soil particles, suspended and bottom sediments, increases environmental risks, including risks to public health. Long-term population exposure to air pollution is associated with increased morbidity and additional mortality, primarily from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, although many of the health effects may not yet be determined. Local and regional patterns of dust emissions in urban environments can increase concentrations of particulate matter and exacerbate health-related effects.

Environmental risk assessment has become a powerful and robust science-based framework for the development of cost-effective abatement strategies and public health decisions. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight methodological issues in assessing the environmental risk and health impact associated with urban dust exposure. Field, experimental and modeling studies related to the analysis of urban dust in various environments, identification of urban dust sources, impact on air quality and public health, or any review study on these topics are welcome.

The Special Issue represents further general topics:

• Spatial patterns and sources of the urban dust
• Environmental risk associated with chemical composition and physical characteristics of the urban dust
• Health impacts of the urban dust
• Urban air quality and potential air pollution abatement strategies

Invited editors:

• Dr. Natalia Shartova, International Laboratory for Landscape Ecology, Higher School of Economics, nshartova@hse.ru, Moscow, Russia;
• Dr. Dmitry Vlasov, Department of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, vlasov.msu@gmail.com, , Moscow, Russia;
• Prof. Nikolay Kasimov, Head of Department of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia;
• Dr. Andrian A. Seleznev, Institute of Industrial Ecology of Russian Academy of Sciences,  Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Submission deadline: March 31^st, 2023.

Submit your manuscript to the Special Issue now.