Every year, the world emits over 36 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a number so huge that it’s hard to even imagine.
While you are thinking that carbon emissions are only responsible for climate change and rising temperatures, the truth is slightly different; these invisible gases are harming our DNA as well.
Yes, you read that right, carbon emission is a potent genotoxic! Air pollution, which also affects our genetic health, is the main source of carbon emissions.
Carbon emissions are generated from vehicle exhaust, power plants, industrial waste, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, smokestacks and even from the plastics we throw away.
Once they are in the environment, they linger in the air we breathe, dissolve into the water we drink, and settle into the food we eat. Note that tap water and groundwater both can be a threat to our genetic health if consumed directly.
And this exposure to carbon pollution makes it a biological problem more than an environmental one.
The thick smoke of traffic clinging to your skin on a busy morning, the dark haze hanging over your city when you look at the skyline, it’s all carbon pollution. Carbon is like an invisible enemy we’ve started living with, thinking it is just harming the environment. But the reality is unsettling.
Do you know the price of every plastic bag you burn, every crop residue set to fire by a farmer, every coal-powered light bulb we switch on is paid by our genes, our DNA.
I know this is hard to believe. But this is actually the reality I was talking about. In this article, we will explore how carbon emissions can be a threat to our genetic health.
Key Topics:
Carbon emission and DNA damage:
Carbon emissions don’t just hang in the environment; they make their way inside us through the most basic ways, like I already mentioned, food, water, and the air.
For instance, when we breathe the polluted air, these microscopic carbon particles enter our lungs and seep into our bloodstream, travelling to different organs, carrying harmful compounds like carbon monoxide, carbon black, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). All of these compounds are known to be genotoxic.
Meaning, when these compounds enter our body, they interact with our DNA, trigger oxidative stress, cause DNA strand breaks, genetic mutations, or even epigenetic modifications.
According to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers tracked two non-smoking security guards working near a heavily trafficked road for 29 days.
They measured the levels of PM2.5, which are tiny airborne carbon-rich particles generated by traffic and over 120 other chemical components in the air.
They found that, just one week after exposure, the levels of 8-OhdG (a marker for DNA damage) increased threefold. This demonstrates how daily exposure to carbon emissions can directly increase DNA damage over time.
Further analysis revealed that PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were the main culprits here. These compounds triggered oxidative stress, which is directly linked to DNA damage.
Another study published in the Environmental Health Perspectives explored how long-term exposure to particulate matter, especially black carbon, impacts DNA regulation in humans.
The study focused on older men who were exposed to high levels of air pollutants. The main focus was on DNA methylation.
It was observed that black carbon exposure was associated with changes in genes involved in the glutathione pathway. The glutathione pathway is a critical defence system that protects DNA from oxidative stress.
When this pathway is disrupted, DNA repair becomes less efficient, and as a result, damaged DNA starts to accumulate. Over time, the damage can increase the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other age-related disorders.
These studies clearly show how extensive carbon emissions can damage our DNA. Now, what should we do to protect our DNA? Keep in mind, we cannot bring carbon emissions down to zero or fully shield our DNA. But with just a few simple steps we can protect ourselves and our DNA.
Related article: How Can Chemical Farming Harm Your Genetics?
Key takeaways:
- Support renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydrogen to cut down carbon emissions.
- Reduce personal fuel use, opt for public transport, cycle whenever possible, and switch to electric vehicles, if possible.
- Plant more and more trees.
- Limit plastic use.
- Follow government policies for reducing carbon emissions.
Wrapping up:
Carbon emission is often thought to be a distant problem, but it’s not the truth; carbon pollution is here, and it is damaging us from within. It is no longer just an environmental threat; it is a threat to our DNA now.
We cannot just pack our bags and move to the jungles, but what we can do is choose smartly and make some healthy changes in our lifestyle.
This will not only protect us but also our nature.
Resources:
Madrigano, Jaime, et al. “Prolonged Exposure to Particulate Pollution, Genes Associated with Glutathione Pathways, and DNA Methylation in a Cohort of Older Men.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 119, no. 7, July 2011, pp. 977–982, https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1002773. Accessed 3 Sept. 2020.
Wei, Yongjie, et al. “PM2.5 Constituents and Oxidative DNA Damage in Humans.” Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 43, no. 13, 1 Apr. 2009, pp. 4757–4762, https://doi.org/10.1021/es803337c. Accessed 15 Sept. 2022.
