New Free Radical Air Pollutants Linked To Lung Problems

Boston (dbTechno) - Researchers have managed to discovery new air pollutants called free radicals, which have been linked to lung problems.

Researchers, led by H. Barry Dellinger from Louisiana State University, found that these free radicals could cause lung damage, and even lung cancer.

Free radicals have been known to exist in our atmosphere for some time now.

It has also been known that they can cause damage to cells over time. What was originally believed though was that they did not last long enough to really cause a great deal of damage.

Researchers found that these free radicals can exist forever if they are combined with particles.

The free radicals are said to be very similar to tar found in cigarettes, and could explain why non-smokers develop diseases which are typically related to smoking, such as lung cancer.

The findings were presented at the American Chemical Society annual meeting held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.