Pollutants & High Risk Groups

Pollutants permeate the environment. Found in air, soil, waterways and food, they affect both ecosystems and human health. Different pollutants, such as toxic chemicals, exhaust fumes or harmful particulate matter have different consequences for public health. While the general population is exposed to the ill-effects of pollutants, the dangers that they pose are more significant for certain high-risk groups.

Pollution and Vulnerability

• Pollution affects certain groups more than others for two central reasons. The first is that pollutants are most harmful to those with an already weakened immune system. Such groups include babies in gestation, young children, people with with immune-related illnesses like HIV and the elderly. The second reason is based on the fact that the risks associated with pollutants increase depending on the length of exposure or intensity. Populations that live in highly polluted areas or work in industries that produce pollutants are placed at greater risk for related health problems.

Gestational Period

• Babies in gestation are at especially high risk for the health dangers of pollution. Exposure to pollutants during gestation can harm fetal development and result in impaired health at birth. A 2010 study conducted by researchers at the University of California Davis found that ambient air pollution significantly affected fetal immune system development. Pollutants, however, are found not only in the air, but also in contaminated foods. The Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia University cautions that a mother's contact with pesticides through both touch and ingestion can harm a growing fetus, affecting the nervous system and cognitive development.

Young Children

• Early childhood is a period when immune systems are still developing. According to research conducted by the state of California, childhood illnesses associated with pollutants have been increasing, with rising rates of asthma, bronchitis, respiratory infections and allergies. Young children are particularly susceptible to air-born pollutants because they consume greater quantities of oxygen per body weight than adults. Even if early childhood exposure does not result in immediate health problems, the risks can remain throughout life, resulting in later incidence of cancer, allergic reactions and immunologic deficiencies.

Low-Income Groups

• Too often lower-income populations reside in highly polluted areas. Housing in polluted areas tends to be less expensive and seen by developers as less desirable. Additionally, industries often select low-income areas as sites for operation or waste disposal. As a result, certain low-income groups, especially those living around power plants, factories or urban centers, are at high risk for pollutant health problems. Research has found that certain low-income areas bear higher burdens of cancer and asthma than the general population.