English 
Francais 
عربي 
Pollution slows down lung development…
An American study has shown that atmospheric pollution can slow down lung development in children.
The lungs are the only organ of the body that is not fully developed at the time of birth. In girls, for example, the lungs do not reach full maturity until adolescence. And boys –who appear to take even longer than their sisters– can reach the age of twenty before the process is complete!<
Researchers conducting a study in southern California monitored 3,000 students from twelve different communities. Each year their respiratory capacity and performance was measured. The results show clearly that breathing polluted air has an adverse affect on lung development and can lead to various respiratory disorders.
The effects of atmospheric pollution appear to be more marked between the ages of 10 and 14. On average, over these four years the researchers found that lung development in children living in polluted environments was 10% less than in those living in better environmental conditions.
And the same effect has been observed in asthmatics. However, ozone pollution does not appear to have any impact on lung development. The major culprits seem to be nitrogen and carbon dioxide, or CO2 – the fine particles in the air coming mainly from diesel engines and acid evaporation.
Print this article
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Send to a friend
Convert to pdf
Copyright Authorization
10 article(s)
A monkey in trainers is a more intelligent monkey!
DNA capsule storage … and at ambient temperature
Sun cream doesn’t stop cancer!
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – nitrates are now in the frame!
Pesticides – what exactly are they?
Chemical products that pose a threat to male health
Drug pollution in the St Lawrence river!
Incense… not so harmless after all?
Will the French Environmental Summit be a spur to action in Europe?
