According to research headed by Barbara Maher, an environmental science professor, billions of toxic air pollution nanoparticles are present in the hearts of people who live in big cities.
As scientists acknowledged uncertainty in the research, Barbara Maher of Lancaster University mentioned: “This is a preliminary study in a way, but the findings and implications were too important not to get the information out there.”
In June, the study was published in the journal Environmental Research and it analyzed the heart tissue found in residents of Mexico City. The heart tissue from deceased young people has found that even the youngest subject, a three-year-old, has damaged cells in the organ’s critical pumping muscles which contained the tiny particles and up to 22 billion nanoparticles per gram of tissue were found in the worst case.
According to the Guardian, “For really young people, the evidence is now of very early-stage damage both in the heart and the brain,” she mentioned. “We have a likely candidate [particle] able to access both organs, with the pathological evidence to show damage is happening.”
Air pollution causes serious damage to humans like being linked to Alzheimer’s. According to a comprehensive review, it may damage almost every cell in the body when these nanoparticles are inhaled.
As this is a serious public health concern and air pollution reduction should be prioritized, according to the World Health Organization, it has declared the issue a global “public health emergency” since above 90% of the world’s population experiences toxic air.
Be sure to bring a face mask when you commute, people!
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