Dust and salt transfer from the exposed bed of the Aral Sea and measures to decrease its environmental impact

Central Asia is characterised by its predisposition to high levels of air pollution due to particular meteorolgical features. The potential for climatic air pollution is higher than it is in the European part of the former USSR; it is high in the foothills and mountainous regions but very high to moderate in the lower reaches of the Amu Dar’ya, in the Ustyurt Plateau and in the Kyzylkum desert. In hot climatic conditions, the pollution of the air from natural dust particles is further increased by pollutants from industry, agriculture and vehicles. Intensive solar radiation further increases the toxicity of chemicals and causes photochemical smog (ozone, bensopyrene, phenols, etc.).