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Published online 4 February 2005 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news050131-16
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Traffic pollution revs up allergens
Reaction between smog and pollen could explain allergy increases.
Exhaust fumes from traffic could be turning airborne proteins into more powerful allergens, explaining why asthma and other allergies are on the rise in urban areas.
Researchers have found that the mixture of nitrogen dioxide and ozone produced by vehicles can add the chemical group nitrate to the protein molecules that account for up to 5% of the particles in our air.
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