Thread by @DrAnnPower

The secrets pond mud holds, capturing a record of air quality just waiting for me &
@RedRiverCroft
to dig up! These long-term histories are so important in understanding how exposure to air pollution has changed over the decades.
@UniofExeter theguardian.com/environment/20…

Work instigated by @RedRiverCroft at @edgehill, continued at @UniofExeter with @Dr_JohnLove to find out how exposure to air pollution has changed since the Industrial revolution in the Merseyside region, a highly industrialised urban landscape

Hanging over the edge of a small inflatable boat, we took sediment cores from small ponds to retrieve a record of pollution... particulates captured overtime in the mud that naturally accumulates at the bottom of ponds and lakes.

After investigating hundreds of ponds, we successfully sampled several sites. We reconstructed stories of particulate pollution deposited at each site: metals, magnetic grains and fly ash.

Each pond tells a unique story, yet when combined builds a picture of how air pollution has changed across the region. We detect the early chemical industry & the rapid development of Runcorn and Widnes as chemical towns during the 19th Century.

Air pollution becomes more complex as we enter the 20th century, with diversification of modern industries, urban expansions and the intensification of air and road travel.

Although it is widely assumed air quality has improved since the smog events of the 1950s, these records show that after 1980 there is an increase in PM2.5 pollution (very small particulates), released by road vehicles, air travel & industry.

A post-1980’s increase in PM2.5 is hugely significant for health. PM2.5 is a known carcinogen. Due to their small size, PM2.5 can be easily delivered to the lung as well as other organs in the body (including the placenta).

Our records show how recent generations have been exposed to higher levels of PM2.5. Are young people storing up health issues for the future?