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  • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16 2005 7:00 PM

Study: "Air Pollutants Break Down Fetus DNA"

Submitted by Christopher

Edited by Christopher

Columbia University’s Center for Children’s Environmental Health found that specific combustion pollutants damage a fetus’ DNA.

"This is the first study to show that environmental exposures to specific combustion pollutants during pregnancy can result in chromosomal abnormalities in fetal tissues," said Kenneth Olden, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which funded the study.

"These findings may lead to new approaches for the prevention of certain cancers." […]

The team […] studied 60 newborns for the report, published in the February issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

As part of a larger study, they monitored the babies' exposure to polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons, which are compounds produced by burning.

"Although the study was conducted in Manhattan neighborhoods, exhaust pollutants are prevalent in all urban areas, and therefore the study results are relevant to populations in other urban areas," said Dr. Frederica Perera, who led the study.

To determine exposure to pollution, the mothers filled out questionnaires and wore portable air monitors during the last three months of their pregnancies.

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Comments
Felicia

Felicia

I'm lost
May 2004

FEB 16, 2005 07:14 PM

I'm sure the big-money-anti-polution-regulation yet anti-abortion people will think of some ingenious way to fix this up. Like keep pregnant women in an air-tight box!! "They're just baby incubators anyway". That's a direct quote from the Bible, I believe

secondslice

secondslice

Suffield, CT
February 2005

FEB 16, 2005 07:14 PM

Smog is bad for me and you. But I'm already fully functional human being, Never to be confused with a fetus. I don't have to reinterate the fact that a fetus inside a mother is the begining of a human and during it's 9 month sabatical in the womb, the fetus is generating from a bunch of cells into what you and I are. The problem seems to be that smog is bad for a baby. (everyone knows that, It's smog, Like cigarettes) So there is the problem. Unfourtunatlly It seems that you cannot start on a solution to a problem untill many millions of dollars are spent proving there is a problem. A bit confusing for me! And I do respect the work of Columbia University. We need more of them!!

secondslice

secondslice

Suffield, CT
February 2005

FEB 16, 2005 07:16 PM

Your funny!

secondslice

secondslice

Suffield, CT
February 2005

FEB 16, 2005 07:16 PM

Your funny! smile

Flannery

Flannery

Havertown, PA
March 2004

FEB 16, 2005 07:58 PM

some smog is good for your health:

Flannery

Flannery

Havertown, PA
March 2004

FEB 16, 2005 08:01 PM

actually the article doesn't even mention smog

"polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons, which are compounds produced by burning" === burning crude oil or coal

i work in a highly industrial area with two huge oil refineries right next to me - i've never worked with such sickly people.
my boss has three children with significant health problems - much worse then asthma
one of my employees worked in a refinery - his son has a brain tumor

i encourage all of you to never work or live in highly industrial areas - i dont plan on staying more than another year - no matter what they pay me

[Edited on Feb 16, 2005 11:03PM]

Jeff_Fries

Jeff_Fries

Humptulips, WA
September 2003

FEB 16, 2005 10:32 PM

Silly rabbit, feti ain't persons.

Ella_1

Ella_1

HOPEFUL

Australia

FEB 16, 2005 10:36 PM

Jeff_Fries said:
Silly rabbit, feti ain't persons.



hehe this comment has made my day...

silly rabbit... biggrin

SomeOneUK

SomeOneUK

United Kingdom
June 2004

FEB 17, 2005 01:59 AM

That's scary. It's scarier even if you live in an area with a clean environment, when you consider this



[Edited on Feb 17, 2005 9:59AM]

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