Thousands of ultra-fine black carbon particles have been found in the lungs, liver, and brain of nearly 100 fetuses, after pregnant women inhaled polluted air during their pregnancies.
A new study published in the Lancet Planetary Health journal indicates that a group of researchers discovered these particles in every sample of lungs, liver, and brain tissue examined, as well as in blood from the umbilical cord and placenta. The concentration of these particles was higher when the mothers lived in areas with higher levels of air pollution, the Guardian reported on October 5.
Researchers found ultra-fine particles – present in polluted air – in the brains and lungs of fetuses. (Photo: Alamy).
The black carbon particles are formed from soot during the combustion of fossil fuels, carrying harmful chemicals. The study was conducted on fetuses of non-smoking mothers in Scotland and Belgium, areas with relatively low levels of air pollution.
36 fetuses studied in Scotland were from mothers who were normally pregnant between 7 to 20 weeks. In Belgium, blood samples from the umbilical cord were taken after 60 healthy births.
“For the first time, we have demonstrated that black carbon nanoparticles not only enter the placenta but also the organs of the developing fetus,” said Professor Paul Fowler at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
“Even more concerning is that these particles also infiltrate the developing human brain. This means that these nanoparticles could directly interact with the internal systems of the organs and cells of the human fetus.”
Professor Tim Nawrot at Hasselt University in Belgium, who co-led the study, believes that governments should include criteria that could affect fetuses in air quality assessments and must take responsibility for reducing air pollution.
Black carbon particles were first discovered in the placenta in 2018 by a team led by Professor Jonathan Grigg at Queen Mary University in London. He stated that the presence of black carbon particles in the fetal brain could have lifelong consequences for the child.
“This is very concerning, but we still do not know what happens when these particles settle in different locations in the body,” he said, emphasizing the need for further research.
A global review in 2019 concluded that air pollution could harm every organ and nearly every cell in the human body. Tiny particles have also been found to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and billions of particles have been discovered in the hearts of urban youth.
More than 90% of the world’s population lives in areas with air pollution according to the World Health Organization (WHO) assessment, causing millions of premature deaths each year.
