Excess selenium from fertilizers and other natural sources can create air pollution that could lead to lung cancer, asthma, and Type 2 diabetes, according to new UC Riverside research.
The UCR research team conducted previous studies in the Salton Sea area, which contains selenium-rich wetlands and soils toxic to birds and fish. The researchers’ studies also revealed that the area’s concentration of aerosols, which are solid or liquid particles suspended in air, have increased in recent years.
The team’s new paper, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, details the composition of the selenium-rich aerosols and describes the multiple ways these particles can damage human lungs.
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