Pollutants from Incense Smoke Cause Inflammation in Human Lung Cells

A new finding states that pollutants from burning incense smoke cause inflammation of human lung cells.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, states that burning of incense, a popular ritual in the East, emits indoor air pollutants that cause human lung cell inflammation.

The study "Hazard assessment of United Arab Emirates (UAE) incense smoke" was led by Rebecca Cohen, student of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE).

Prior to this,  studies conducted by Karin B. Yeatts, research assistant professor of epidemiology and co-author of the study, found a strong link between incense smoke and several health problems including nose, throat, eye and skin reactions, headaches, asthma and changes in lung cell structure.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), due to chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) more than 1 million people die every year.

The burning incense emits carbon monoxide that causes severe health hazards.

To prove their hypothesis, the researchers identified and measured the gases as well as particles that are emitted from two kinds of incense used in UAE homes. The test was done over three hours, the typical time incense takes to burn indoors, in a specially designed chamber.

The researchers analyzed the concentration of particulate matter as well levels of toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide.

They initially placed human lungs in the chamber to expose them to smoke and then later incubated them for 24 hours so that the particulate matter could settle and react. The inflammatory response was similar to the lung cells that are exposed to the smoke of cigarette.

Since more than 90 percent of the time people spend indoors, indoor air pollution is a source of increasing concern, according to the researchers .