Air pollution may hamper children’s learning, memory abilities, finds US study

A recent study by a US-based university found that children’s memory and cognitive abilities were adversely impacted by exposure to pollutants.
In its study conducted on 8,500 children across the United States, the University of Southern California found that children between 9 and 10 years of age, who were exposed to pollutants, especially ammonium nitrate, a major contributor to Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5, performed poorly in cognitive performance.
PM 2.5, a type of microscopic particle, is recognised as a significant danger to lung health.
In its study, the university also identified ammonium nitrate as a specific risk factor for Alzheimer’s and dementia in adults.
Ammonium Nitrate is an extremely harmful chemical that gets formed when ammonia gas is combined with nitric acid from fossil fuel combustion.
The findings of the study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, also stressed the need for more detailed research into the sources and chemical components of particulate matter (PM), to control its emissions.
Speaking on the issue, Megan Herting, a professor at the US’s Keck School of Medicine, stressed the importance of understanding the nuances of improved air quality regulations and better grasping the long-term neurocognitive effects of air pollution.
“Our study highlights the need for more detailed research on particulate matter sources and chemical components. It suggests that understanding these nuances is crucial for informing air quality regulations and understanding long-term neurocognitive effects,” Herting said.
Earlier in 2020, another research by Herting and her colleagues pinpointed ammonium nitrate as a major pollutant posing to the risk of neurological disorders.
“No matter how we examined it, on its own or with other pollutants, the most robust finding was that ammonium nitrate particles were linked to poorer learning and memory,” Herting said in her research.
“That suggests that overall PM2.5 is one thing, but for cognition, it’s a mixed effect of what you’re exposed to,” she added.
Measuring less than 2.5 micrometres, PM 2.5 are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. The far-reaching impacts of PM2.5 include serious health problems, as these particles can bypass the blood-brain barrier, raising alarm about their potential roles in respiratory and even neurological disorders.