Toxic air pollution particles found in lungs and brains of unborn babies

Researchers found that tiny particles of air pollution, such as from smog in London, have been found to cross the blood-brain barrier. Photograph: Nicholas T Ansell/PA

Toxic air pollution particles have been found in the lungs, livers and brains of unborn babies, long before they have taken their first breath. Researchers said their “groundbreaking” discovery was “very worrying”, as the gestation period of foetuses is the most vulnerable stage of human development.

Thousands of black carbon particles were found in each cubic millimetre of tissue, which were breathed in by the mother during pregnancy and then passed through the bloodstream and placenta to the foetus.