“Previous research by our team has already shown that soot particles can be found in the placenta during all trimesters of pregnancy,” says Hasselt scientist Tim Nawrot. “Now we see that those soot particles don’t stay there, they end up in the organs of the fetus.” It involves the liver, lungs, and even the brain, Nawrot says.
Nanoparticles
The fact that they enter the developing brain is of particular concern, says fellow researcher Paul Fowler of Aberdeen. “This means that these nanoparticles come into contact with the entire network of cells and organs in the fetus’s body via the brain and can interact with them.”
Air pollution has often been associated with an additional risk of stillbirth, premature birth, lower birth weight, and poorer brain development, as Hasselt knows.
Investigate further
“This study once again demonstrates the importance of limiting the emission of soot particles, mainly from the combustion of fossil fuels,” say the researchers at the Flemish university website. They want to further study and unravel the mechanisms behind these health risks.
