Transport Dust in Poland: Tracking the Invisible Footprint of Transport on Ecosystem Health
Source abstract
Abstract
Urban road dust (URD) is a major source of particulate matter (PM) and pollutants, including trace elements and organic compounds, affecting human health and the environment. This study investigates the chemical composition, toxicity, and environmental transport mechanisms of URD from road and rail systems in two Polish cities. It compares trace element concentrations (e.g., Cu, Zn, Pb), chemical composition, toxicity of road vs. rail dust, and the impact of rainfall on contaminant dispersion. The oral pathway was identified as the main exposure route in both adults and children, followed by that of dermal contact. Railways pose additional challenges due to frequent maintenance and increased PM emissions. Results show that smaller cities like Rawicz may present higher health risks from URD due to local industry (e.g., metal processing) than larger cities like Wrocław. Rainfall mobilizes trace elements in urban dust, increasing pollutant runoff and exposure risks, highlighting the need for better runoff management. The highest road-related pollution was found in Rawicz (S5), with the highest railway-related pollution also found at the Rawicz station. Microtox showed no toxicity in Wrocław URD (except for short-term effect) but higher toxicity in Rawicz. Daphtoxkit showed the highest Daphnia magna mortality near roads (40.0%) in Rawicz. Ostracodtoxkit revealed strong growth inhibition in Wrocław (up to 94.29%). ECR confirmed a higher cancer risk in Rawicz, especially in children (Cr, As).
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Air Quality and Health Impacts · Urban Stormwater Management Solutions · Noise Effects and Management
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Department of Applied Mathematics, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka Street 53, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland
References (54)
Show source-provided references
1. Screening analysis of organic micro-pollutants in road dusts from some areas in northern Vietnam: A preliminary investigation on contamination status, potential sources, human exposure, and ecological risk10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.177 ↗
2. Exploring the impact of transportation on heavy metal pollution: A comparative study of trains and cars10.1016/j.trd.2023.103966 ↗
3. Emission of fugitive dust from railway maintenance vehicles operating on gravel track10.1016/j.trd.2022.103441 ↗
4. Heavy metal concentrations in roadside soils and correlation with urban traffic in Beijing, China10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.05.060 ↗
5. The analysis of heavy metal pollutants emitted by railway transport10.3846/transport.2020.12751 ↗
6. Soil and water pollution and human health: What should cardiologists worry about?10.1093/cvr/cvac082 ↗
7. Environmental risks of heavy trace elements in railway soils: Challenges to ecosystem management10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179217 ↗
8. Pollution and health risk of potentially toxic trace elements in urban road dust in Nanjing, a mega-city of China10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.01.055 ↗
9. Elevated Airborne Exposures of Teenagers to Manganese, Chromium, and Iron from Steel Dust and New York City’s Subway System10.1021/es034734y ↗
10. Assessment of metallic content, pollution, and sources of road dust in the City of Białystok (Poland)10.4209/aaqr.2019.10.0518 ↗
11. Impact of dust loads in long railway tunnels: In-situ measurements and consequences for tunnel facilities and operation10.1016/j.tust.2021.104328 ↗
12. Particle emissions from rail traffic: A literature review10.1080/10643389.2012.685348 ↗
13. Khoshakhlagh, A.H., Ghobakhloo, S., and Gruszecka-Kosowska, A. (2024). Inhalational exposure to heavy trace elements: Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment. J. Hazard. Mater. Adv., 100485.10.1016/j.hazadv.2024.100485 ↗
14. Comparative analysis of urban road dust compositions in relation to their potential human health impacts10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113156 ↗
15. Road dust and its effect on human health: A literature review10.4178/epih.e2018013 ↗
16. Is Poland at risk of urban road dust? Comparison studies on mutagenicity of dust10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120337 ↗
17. Health Hazard Related to Fine Road Dust in Poland10.2478/cdem-2023-0005 ↗
18. Impacts of rainfall characteristics and land cover types on an urban river water quality: A case study of sponge city Beijing10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145411 ↗
19. First flush stormwater pollution in urban catchments: A review of its characterization and quantification towards optimization of control measures10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117976 ↗
20. Impact of particulate pollution on aquatic invertebrates10.1016/j.etap.2023.104146 ↗
21. Heavy metal pollution in the environment and their toxicological effects on humans10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04691 ↗
22. Exploring the Environmental Risks and Seasonal Variations of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in Fine Road Dust in Resource-Based Cities Based on Monte Carlo Simulation, Geo-Detector and Random Forest Model10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134708 ↗
23. Seasonal Toxicity of Urban Road Dust in Runoff Process-Studies in Poland10.1007/s11356-024-33716-w ↗
24. Główny Urząd Statystyczny (2025, June 27). Rocznik Statystyczny Województw 2023, Available online: https://stat.gov.pl.
25. Urząd Miejski Gminy Rawicz (2021). Strategia rozwoju Gminy Rawicz na lata 2021–2030, Urząd Miejski Gminy Rawicz. Available online: https://rawicz.pl.
26. European Environment Agency (2022). Urban Sustainability in Europe—Opportunities for Climate-Neutral and Liveable Cities, EEA. Available online: https://www.eea.europa.eu.
27. (2025, June 27). Program Ochrony Środowiska dla Miasta i Gminy Rawicz na Lata 2021–2025 z Perspektywą do 2029. Available online: https://bip.rawicz.pl/artykul/720/9688/program-ochrony-srodowiska-dla-miasta-i-gminy-rawicz-na-lata-2021-2025-z-perspektywa-do-2029.
28. Zanieczyszczenie powietrza we Wrocławiu i potencjalne zagrożenie dla zdrowia z tym związane
29. General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (2025, June 27). Data from Automatic Traffic Measurement Stations for 2024. 3 June 2025, Available online: https://www.gov.pl/web/gddkia/dane-z-automatycznych-stacji-pomiarowych-za-2024-r.
30. Toxicity evaluation of road dust in the runoff process using a benthic ostracod Heterocypris incongruens10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.03.001 ↗
31. (2001). Jako´s´c Gleby—Oznaczanie Kadmu, Chromu, Kobaltu, Miedzi, Ołowiu, Man-Ganu, Niklu i Cynku w Ekstraktach Gleby Wod ˛a Królewsk ˛a—Metody Płomieniowej i Elektrotermicz-Nej Absorpcyjnej Spektrometrii Atomowej (Standard No. PN-ISO 11047:2001).
32. (2007). Water Quality—Determination of the Inhibitory Effect of Water Samples on the Light Emission of Vibrio fischeri (Luminescent Bacteria Test)—Part 3: Method Using Freeze-Dried Bacteria (Standard No. ISO 11348-3:2007). Confirmation date: 2022. Amendment: ISO 11348-3:2007/Amd 1:2018.
33. A Practical and User-Friendly Toxicity Classification System with Microbiotests for Natural Waters and Wastewaters10.1002/tox.10141 ↗
34. (2025, June 27). Test No. 202; Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test. Available online: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/test-no-202-daphnia-sp-acute-immobilisation-test_9789264069947-en.html.
35. (2019). Direct Contact’ Toxicity Test for Freshwater Sediments Standard Operating Procedure, Microbiotests.
36. U.S. EPA (2011). Policy Assessment for the Review of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. Report EPA-452/R-11-003.
37. U.S. EPA (2007). Method 3051A (SW-846): Microwave Assisted Acid Digestion of Sediments, Sludges, Soils, and Oils, United States Environmental Protection Agency. Revision 1.
38. Wickham, H. (2016). ggplot2: Elegant Graphics for Data Analysis, Springer. Available online: https://ggplot2.tidyverse.org.10.1007/978-3-319-24277-4_9 ↗
39. Single- and multi-elemental pollution indices as a useful tool for the evaluation of road dust contaminated by trace elements
40. Investigation of heavy metal sources on railways: Ballast layer and herbicides10.12911/22998993/127393 ↗
41. Impacts of traffic and rainfall characteristics on heavy trace elements build-up and wash-off from urban roads
42. Priority pollutants in urban stormwater: Part 2—Case of combined sewers10.1016/j.watres.2011.09.041 ↗
43. Pochodyła-Ducka, E., Glińska-Lewczuk, K., and Jaszczak, A. (2023). Changes in stormwater quality and heavy trace elements content along the rainfall–runoff process in an urban catchment. Water, 15.10.3390/w15193505 ↗
44. Evaluation of leaching behavior of trace trace elements from road-deposited sediments and filter media in urban stormwater systems
45. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in railway stations dust of the mega traffic hub city, central China: Human health risk and relationship with black carbon10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111155 ↗
46. Toxicity Evaluation of Different Exposure Scenarios of Road Dust Using Daphnia magna and Artemia salina as Aquatic Organisms, and Prosopis cineraria and Vachellia tortilis as Native Plant Species10.4236/ojap.2024.133004 ↗
47. Impact of Annual Average Daily Trafc on Highway Runof Pollutant Concentrations10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2003)129:11(975) ↗
48. Schiff, K.C., Tiefenthaler, L.L., Bay, S.M., and Greenstein, D.J. (2016). Effects of Rainfall Intensity and Duration on the First Flush from Parking Lots. Water, 8.10.3390/w8080320 ↗
49. Storm water runoff concentration matrix for urban areas10.1016/j.jconhyd.2006.08.008 ↗
50. Priority pollutants in urban stormwater: Part 1—Case of separate storm sewers10.1016/j.watres.2011.12.012 ↗
51. Sustainable strategies to treat urban runoff needed10.1038/s41893-022-00853-4 ↗
52. Yi, J., Lo, L.S.H., Liu, H., Qian, P.-Y., and Cheng, J. (2021). Study of heavy trace elements and microbial communities in contaminated sediments along an urban estuary. Front. Mar. Sci., 8.10.3389/fmars.2021.741912 ↗
53. Examining the effectiveness of municipal street sweeping in removing road-deposited particles and metal(loid)s of respiratory health concern10.1016/j.envint.2024.108697 ↗
54. McCabe, J., and Schaffer, M. (2024). Review of Street Sweeping Measures to Reduce Particulate Matter Emissions, Air & Waste Management Association—Urban Measures Symposium. Available online: https://awma-ums.org.