Air pollutants linked to chromosome damage in the foetus
Feb 16
[Health India]: Washington, Feb 16 : A new study has revealed that exposure of expectant mothers to combustion-related urban air pollution may alter the structure of babies’ chromosomes while in the womb.
While previous experiments have linked such genetic alterations to an increased risk of leukemia and other cancers, much larger studies would be required to determine the precise increase in risk as these children reach adulthood.
The air pollutants considered in this study include emissions from cars, trucks, bus engines, residential heating, power generation and tobacco smoking. These pollutants can cross the placenta and reach the foetus.
“This is the first study to show that environmental exposures to specific combustion pollutants during pregnancy can result in chromosomal abnormalities in foetal tissues,” said Kenneth Olden, Ph.D., the director of NIEHS.
Exposure to combustion pollutants was assessed through personal questionnaires and portable air monitors worn by the mothers during the third trimester of their pregnancies. Researchers then calculated the concentration of air pollution to which each pregnant woman and her baby were exposed. Study participants exposed to air pollution levels below the average were designated as having “low exposure,” while those exposed to pollution levels above the average were designated as having “high exposure.”
“This evidence that air pollutants can alter chromosomes in utero is troubling since other studies have validated this type of genetic alteration as a biomarker of cancer risk,” said Perera. “While we can’t estimate the precise increase in cancer risk, these findings underscore the need for policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels to take appropriate steps to protect children from these avoidable exposures.”
Previous studies conducted by Perera and colleagues showed that combustion-related air pollutants significantly reduce foetal growth, which may affect cognitive development during childhood. (ANI)
