News Items

News Item - November 2005

"Childhood cancers linked to oil based combustion gases."

"Childhood cancers are strongly determined by prenatal or early postnatal exposures to oil based combustion gases, especially from engine exhausts" says a research report "Oil combustion and childhood cancers" by E.G.Knox published in the September issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The research project examined atmospheric emissions hotspots in the United Kingdom and correlated birth and death addresses of children dying from cancer. Proximity to such identified hotspots increased the risk factor for carbon monoxide, PM 10 particles, nitrogen oxides, 1.3-butadiene, benzene, dioxins and benzo(a)pyrene, and volatiles.

1,3-butadiene, a known carcinogen and component of oil based combustion gases, especially from engine exhausts, may be directly causal.

Such hotspots included bus stations, railways, industrial transport centres, hospitals and oil installations.

• Read the abstract.   pub. September 2005.