Pollution Particles: How They Travel Through the Body
- A new study reveals that pollution particles don't just affect our lungs - they hitch a ride on red blood cells and circulate throughout the entire body.
- * Rapid Uptake: Healthy volunteers exposed to traffic pollution in London for just one hour saw a doubling or tripling of pollution particles attached to their red blood...
- Researchers at Queen Mary University of London used an aethalometer to measure pollution levels during the experiment.
Pollution Travels Throughout the Body, Attaching to Red Blood Cells
A new study reveals that pollution particles don’t just affect our lungs – they hitch a ride on red blood cells and circulate throughout the entire body.
Key Findings:
* Rapid Uptake: Healthy volunteers exposed to traffic pollution in London for just one hour saw a doubling or tripling of pollution particles attached to their red blood cells.
* Notable Numbers: Even a small percentage (2-3 out of 1,000) of affected red blood cells translates to approximately 80 million polluted cells in an average adult after only one hour of exposure.
* Free Ride for Pollutants: Red blood cells, responsible for oxygen delivery, inadvertently transport these particles to all parts of the body, including the brain and toes.
* Masks offer Protection: Wearing an FFP2 mask effectively prevented pollution particles from attaching to red blood cells, even in highly polluted environments.
* Cross-Species Confirmation: Lab tests with both human and mouse red blood cells confirmed the particles readily adhere to these cells when exposed to diesel exhaust.
* Particle Composition: The particles found on red blood cells included elements from car exhaust (iron, copper, silicon, chromium, zinc) and brake/tire wear (silver, copper, molybdenum), all smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5).
Study Details:
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London used an aethalometer to measure pollution levels during the experiment. Volunteers spent time indoors, near a busy road, and then back indoors. The roadside air contained nearly five times more pollution than indoor air.
Implications:
This research highlights the widespread impact of air pollution on human health and underscores the importance of protective measures like wearing masks in polluted environments. It also emphasizes that the effects of pollution extend far beyond the respiratory system.
Source: Earth.com