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Why Tiny Particles Pose Big Problems - airborne dust causes health problems
National Wildlife, Feb-March, 2001 by Peter Jaret
Why tiny inhaled particles impact heartbeat is anyone's guess. "One possibility is that when you inhale these very small particles deep into your lungs, some of them make their way into the bloodstream, where they would tend to reach organs that process a lot of blood, such as the heart," says University of Delaware environmental scientist Anthony Wexler, who has studied how very small particulates make their way into the lungs. "The particles could then become lodged in cardiac muscle, reducing blood flow and affecting heart rhythm." According to one estimate, particulates are responsible for 1 percent of all heart disease fatalities in the United States, or about 10,000 deaths a year.
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Virtually no one has looked at the effects of airborne particles on wildlife, although many laboratory studies show that inhaled dust can damage both the hearts and lungs of dogs, mice and other animals. In one investigation, dogs exposed to levels of particulates no higher than those found in many U.S. cities experienced significant changes in their heart rhythms. And last year, scientists at Duke University warned that increasing amounts of atmospheric dust from the prolonged drought in the Sahel region of Africa have begun to threaten coral reefs in different parts of the planet. The dust, which is five times as thick as normal due to the dry spell, contains bacteria, viruses and fungi. Included is a soil fungus called Aspergillus that has killed more than 90 percent of the Carribbean's sea fans, a form of soft coral.
There is little scientists can do to block dust storms whipped up by drought conditions, of course. But as worry over the health effects of airborne particles increases, experts are looking for ways to reduce exposure levels. The EPA is making a major effort to clean up diesel exhaust, which is a large contributor to particulate levels. In California, researchers at the University of California Davis, have developed a novel way to "fingerprint" dust in order to trace its source. The technique, which identifies unique mixtures of soil bacteria and fungi, may be used eventually to enforce regulations that limit the amount of dust kicked up by agricultural operations.
Indeed, airborne dust may become a rallying cry for those opposed to development. In Phoenix, one of the biggest sources of air pollution is "fugitive dust," whipped into the air by the area's booming new housing tracts. The dust poses a special danger because it has been shown to contain a fungus called Coccidioides immitis, which normally resides in the soil. Once inhaled, the fungus causes valley fever. Symptoms resemble a bad case of the flu, but if the fungus spreads from the lungs into other parts of the body, the disease can be fatal.
Luckily there are a few simple ways to reduce your exposure to particulates. First, heed warnings to stay indoors during days when air pollution levels are high-especially if you suffer from asthma, respiratory allergies or heart disease. If you exercise outdoors, schedule your workouts for early morning or in the evening, when particulate levels are generally lowest. Avoid jogging on streets with heavy traffic. If you find yourself driving behind a diesel-powered vehicle, leave extra open space between your car and the exhaust belching into the air ahead. At home, filters on heating and air- conditioning systems help remove dust from indoor air, as long as they are cleaned and maintained regularly.
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