Exhaust fumes are bad for us – again!
The science correspondent reports in The Guardian today that exhaust fumes can also cause heart disease as well as the previously-known effects for respiratory disease. The fine particles in the fumes cause inflammation and hardening of the arteries (cardiovascular atherosclerosis) which is a leading cause of death in Western countries.
The team at the University of California in Los Angeles lead by Andre Nel researched the effects of diesel particles on human cells and found that the particles which contain potentially toxic compounds such as organic hydrocarbons, sulphates and nitrates, trigger a knock-on series of genetic changes which lead to the arteries hardening.
The research does not reveal exactly how the particles cause the genetic changes, but it adds to an already-impressive body of research linking exhaust fumes to heart disease, stroke and early death.
