Common tiny particles ‘affect heart’

A unique experiment conducted by German scientists confirmed certain small-scale chemical particles can increase heart rate, upset heart rhythms and interfere with the heart’s electrical activity.

Professor Reinhard Niessner’s team used an isolated rodent heart flushed with artificial blood to test for effects on heart function.

The nanoparticles were injected into the nutrient solution taking the place of blood to simulate their entry into the circulation via the lungs.

Although the doses were around 100 times greater than those experienced in the real world, the findings provide clear biological evidence for the first time of what common nanoparticles can do.

“There’s lots of ongoing research into the toxicology of nanoparticles, but so far people have only carried out tests on cells,” said Prof Niessner, from Munich Technical University.

“This is the first hint from a higher organ level of what may happen.”

A number of population studies have suggested pollutant particles small enough to penetrate the lungs can lead to premature death. One of the most harmful, known as PM10s, are shed in large numbers by diesel engine exhausts.