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Using an animal model, a scientist from the Texas A & M University determined that air pollution can cause birth defects and even death during pregnancy.
The researchers exposed female rats to fine particles of ammonium sulfate, one of the most common air pollutants in the world.
Large quantities of this substance have been recorded in the air in Asia but also in the United States. For example, air test results reached 51% in Houston and 31% in Los Angeles.
Air pollution is a major global crisis. According to the World Health Organization, 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe air containing a high level of pollutants.
What's all this bad air doing?
The effects of this are just beginning to be understood. A recent report indicated that toxic air does not only affect the respiratory system but can have negative effects on all organs of the body. Worldwide, 1 out of 9 deaths can be attributed to exposure to air pollution, totaling more than 7 million premature deaths a year.
Although many believe that ammonium sulphate is not highly toxic, the resulting rat study shows that the breathable air polluted by the substance during pregnancy has seven consequences.
"People generally believe that ammonium sulphate may not be very toxic, but our results show significant effects on pregnant rats," said Renyi Zhang, professor emeritus of science A & M in Texas and Holder of the Harold J. Haynes Chair in Geoscience. I said.
"We do not know yet what causes these profound effects, but we badume that the size of the nanoparticles or even the acidity could be the cause."
Coal combustion and agriculture probably cause
One of the main sources of sulphate comes from the burning of coal, which remains the most common source of energy in developed countries. Ammonia is used in fertilizers for intense agricultural activities, animal production and manufacturing processes.
Zhang's research provides compelling evidence of lower fetal survival rates and reduced pregnancy rates These shorter pregnancies result in reduced body weight and damage to the brain, heart, and other organs models of adult rats.
Zhang says that despite much knowledge about the effects of air pollution, little research has been done on ways to prevent or treat diseases caused by air pollution.
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"In addition, there are no clinical recommendations for the prevention and treatment of health problems related to air pollution.Our study has shown that exposure experiments well controlled Using animal models offer major benefits for the future control of air pollution and are promising for the development of therapeutic intervention and treatment procedures, "says Zhang.
A recent report from the State of Global Air (SOGA) 2019 indicates that air pollution also reduces the lifespan of children exposed to air pollution up to 20. month.
Children around the world are affected by breathing in a toxic air. The lives of children in South Asia will be reduced by 30 months. In sub-Saharan Africa, life expectancy is reduced by 24 months; the report says.
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