The impact of particulate matter on prenatal and infant child development

Abstract

Introduction: Smog is formed by the interaction of various oxides, metals, and volatile organic compounds with solar radiation and fog. In Poland, the primary sources of pollution emissions come from road transport and combustion processes from municipal and residential sources. One of the air pollution parameters is particulate matter (PM), a complex mixture of solid particles and liquids. Aim: The study discusses the most severe effects of particulate matter on child development. Material and methods: Literature search was performed using the medical database PubMed in time period from 2007 to 2021 using the following MESH-terms: air pollution, child, particulate matter, low birth weight, asthma, environmental pollutions, respiratory system. Results: The harmful effects of air pollution on foetal growth and the development of the child's internal organs and its endocrine system are presented in this paper. In the prenatal phase, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), by mimicking or even blocking the action of specific human hormones, may affect the endocrine balance of oestradiol and progesterone, which have a significant influence on the child's organ development. Air pollution can trigger and exacerbate asthma in children who already have it, while the role of air pollution in asthma development is debatable. Components of air pollution, including PM0.1, can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and activate inflammatory protein markers IL-6 and TNF-α, and induce inflammatory microstates. Conclusions: Even a slight reduction in air pollutant emissions has a positive effect on a child's health.