Pollution Over Time Undermines The Lung’s Immune Defenses
Impaired lung immune function joins the list of pollution-related health problems

Particulate matter, one of the pollutants emitted from coal-burning power plants, accumulates over time in the lungs’ immune tissues. The buildup might help explain older adults’ weakened respiratory immune function.
JAMES JORDAN PHOTOGRAPHY/MOMENT/GETTY
Lung immunity can decline with age, making older adults more susceptible to lung damage and serious respiratory infections. New research shows one reason why this might be so: Particulate matter inhaled from pollution acts over time to weaken the lungs’ immune system, researchers report online Nov. 21 in Nature Medicine.
Air pollution is a leading cause of disease and premature death worldwide, disproportionately affecting the poor and marginalized (SN: 30/7/20). Particulate matter – a type of pollution emanating from vehicle exhaust, power plants, wildfires and other sources – has been linked to health hazards including respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous diseases (SN: 09/19/1… Read the rest
Read More