NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Underground in New York City lies a serious health risk: air filled with iron-rich particles from screeching trains and grinding brakes, quietly affecting millions of commuters daily, according to a new study.
The study from New York University found dangerously high levels of iron-based air particles in New York City’s subway system, raising concerns about the potential health risks for millions of daily commuters.
These particles, called PM2.5, are released into the air when trains pull into subway stations, exposing riders to significantly higher pollution levels underground compared to outdoor air.
“On average, all the underground stations are polluted,” Dr. Shams Azad, the lead researcher, told 1010 WINS. The study also found that stations in Washington Heights, among the deepest in the system, had the highest concentrations of iron particles.
“The pollution level is around 150 to 200 units,” Dr. Azad explained. “Just to put it in perspective, what we breathe in the outdoor air… the particle concentration is around 15 to 20 units.”
Researchers analyzed the commuting patterns of 3.1 million workers across four interconnected boroughs, focusing on home-to-work trips and air pollution exposure on subway routes and stations.
Dr. Azad, a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Climate School, explained the potential health risks, stating, “The particles itself are very bad for respiratory health,” but added, “As of today, there is no study has been done what these heavy metal particles can do to our body.”
Longer commutes, frequent transfers, and reliance on subway routes with particularly high pollution levels contribute to these disparities. Some subway stations and train lines were found to have far higher pollution concentrations, while specific underground tunnels increased particle levels inside train cabins.
Black and Hispanic workers face 35% and 23% higher exposure, respectively, than white and Asian workers. Commuters from lower-income communities, who rely more heavily on the subway, also encounter higher risks, according to the research.
The MTA dismissed the study’s findings, referring to it as “recycled.” A spokeswoman explained that tracks are regularly cleaned using vacuum trains and raised concerns about the research methodology. She noted that standard air pollution measurements, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), are based on 24-hour monitoring, while the study relied on much shorter sampling periods. Additionally, she said that the pollution referenced in WHO guidelines typically originates from fossil fuels, which, she argued, is not the source of particulate matter in the subway system.
The study, conducted in 2021 and 2022, focused on tiny iron-based particles generated by subway trains. These particles are small enough to enter the lungs and potentially the bloodstream, posing risks to respiratory and cardiovascular health, according to Dr. Azad.
Despite the MTA’s dismissal, the study raises serious questions about air quality in the subway system.