Respiratory Tract Toxicity in Rats Exposed to Mexico City Air

摘要

Residents of southwestern Mexico City are exposed to a mixture of air pollutants(ozone, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other hydrocarbons) not found in other areas of the city. Pathologists have found evidence of cell damage and inflammation in nasal tissue from some residents of this highly polluted area that was not present in people living in areas of the country with cleaner air. This finding prompted HEI to support a collaborative study to determine whether the effects of Mexico City air on humans could be replicated in rats. If so, rats could serve as sentinels to detect the effects of air pollutants on human nasal tissue.