Smoke from forest fires can release DNA damaging substancesMay 4th, 2009 - 3:13 pm ICT by ANI
Washington, May 4 (ANI): In a new study, scientists in Washington State are reporting the first discovery of potent mutagenic substances in smoke from forest fires that that can damage the genetic material DNA.
In the study, Julia Laskin and colleagues note that forest fires long have been recognized as major sources of organic compounds containing nitrogen.
But, their research is the first to show that the nitrogen compounds exist as alkaloids, which are naturally occurring mutagens that are produced by trees and other plants.
Forest fires often sweep through huge stands of Ponderosa pine in the western United States and Canada.
Ponderosa pine trees, the researchers note, often grow in droughty areas and in forests subject to large-scale outbreaks of fires, and have high levels of alkaloids in their needles.
Fires help to transfer alkaloids from needles into tiny particles that can be then transported through the air.
Noting that the alkaloids can be transported long distances, the scientists say that fires involving Ponderosa pines could have adverse human health effects. (ANI)
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Tags: alkaloids, colleagues, dna, first discovery, forest fires, forests, genetic material, human health effects, laskin, long distances, mutagenic substances, mutagens, needles, nitrogen compounds, ponderosa pine trees, ponderosa pines, sources of organic compounds, tiny particles, washington state, western united states