but also impacts our cardiovascular, reproductive, nervous,
and immune systems. Children who are exposed to air
pollution are prone to developing asthma, whereas adults are
more at risk for developing COPD. Moreover, long-term
exposure to bad air quality often leads to more serious
conditions such as lung cancer. High air pollution
concentrations can affect the cardiovascular system by
interfering with blood coagulation, inflammation response, and
endometrium function, which can lead to heart diseases such
as stroke, heart failure, or bleeding. (Breitner et al, 2011, p.
560-567) Breitner and his team also studied the air pollution
and the reproductive system. They found that air pollution
causes premature births, decreases sperm quality, contributes
to birth defects, and increases infant mortality. There are also
associations between air pollution and the neurological system.
One example is that of feral dogs in Mexico. According to
Briner et al (2011), “Feral dogs living in highly polluted areas
showed enhanced oxidative damage and premature presence of
diffuse amyloid plaques, insoluble fibrous protein aggregates
that may play a role in various neurodegenerative diseases.”
(p. 576) Figure 3 represents other organ systems impacted by
air pollution.