According to a Spanish study, high levels of certain chemical pollutants are associated with an increased risk of Covid infection.
Why have some people developed Covid-19 and others not? While this question remains open to debate, Spanish researchers* are putting forward a new explanation. “We have shown that individual levels of certain environmental pollutants increase the risk of infection and the risk of developing the disease,” says Dr Miquel Porta, one of the study’s lead authors.
Blood study
To achieve these results, the researchers used frozen blood samples taken in 2016 from 240 residents of Barcelona. They analyzed the relationship between blood levels of organic pollutants and chemical elements with the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the same individuals in 2020-2021.
It appears that people with higher blood levels of certain pollutants had a higher risk of being infected and developing the disease. And this risk was all the greater with certain substances: DDD and DDE (derivatives of the pesticide DDT), lead, thallium or even benzofluoranthene and manganese.
“High levels of thallium, ruthenium and lead were associated with a higher risk of infection,” explain the authors. “These pollutants enter our bodies through multiple routes, from electronic devices to foods used in intensive farming,” the researchers conclude. “If the associations are confirmed to be causal, risk control policies are essential.”
To note : other factors have been identified that influence the risk of developing Covid-19: comorbidities, smoking, age, level of education, etc.
*Institute for Medical Research of Hospital del Mar (IMIM-Hospital de Mar) – Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)