A new study has found that traffic-related air pollution could be impacting the brain development of young children, and researchers are calling for further investigation into the long-term effects.
What's happening?
Scientists at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, or ISGlobal, said they discovered that exposure to nitrogen dioxide over the first two years can result in reduced attention capacities in children ages four to eight.
The analysis, published in the journal Environment International, found that boys appeared to be more susceptible to the effects, with girls not demonstrating pollution-linked signs of poorer attention spans from six to eight.
"In boys, the association between exposure to NO2 and attentional function may last longer because their brains mature more slowly, which could make them more vulnerable," said Anne-Claire Binter, last author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at ISGlobal.
Why is this concerning?
Binter explained that ISGlobal's findings indicate the health of future generations could be at stake. A previous study also found a connection between air pollution and poorer attention function in children between ages four and five.
"These findings underline the potential impact of increased traffic-related air pollution on delayed development of attentional capacity and highlight the importance of further research into the long-term effects of air pollution in older age groups," she said.
"This study suggests that early childhood, up to the age of 2, seems to be a relevant period for implementing preventive measures," she continued. "Even a small effect at the individual level … can have large consequences at the population level."
The American Lung Association notes that nitrogen dioxide, one of the heat-trapping gases released during the operation of gas-powered cars, can also worsen respiratory issues like asthma. Additionally, high levels of nitrogen dioxide "were likely associated with increased risk of kidney and neurological harm, autoimmune disorders and cancer."
What can be done about this?
In the United States, cars, trucks, and buses are the largest producers of nitrogen dioxide, but the federal government has allocated billions to help clean up our air, including by investing in less polluting modes of transportation, like electric school buses and high-speed rail.
Certain models of electric vehicles, which don't release pollution from their tailpipes, are even available at steep discounts thanks to tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Private companies are getting in on the action, too.
For example, construction on a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is underway thanks to funds from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and private contractor Brightline, which already has a high-speed rail running in Florida.
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