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For the first time, ultra-fine particles produced by burning fuel have been linked to the development of malignant brain tumors, according to a study published in Epidemiology on November 6. Previous research showed that these combustion-related nanoparticles can reach the human brain when inhaled.
Scientists led by Scott Weichenthal, an epidemiologist at McGill University, analyzed the medical records and air pollution exposure of 1.9 million adults in Toronto and Montreal. They found that an air pollution increase of 10,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter may lead to one extra case of brain cancer for every 100,000 people exposed. The increase is comparable to moving from a quiet city street to a busy one, according to The Guardian.
The researchers measured malignant neoplasms in the brain, a category that includes glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer, affecting roughly three out of every 100,000 people in the ...
