News|Science
LOS ANGELES — New research suggests several chemicals released during fires may pose a greater cancer risk than previously recognized, according to a study led by a Los Angeles County firefighter-turned-scientist. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed stronger potential for cancer-causing DNA damage than the only PAH, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), currently classified as a known human carcinogen. Derek Urwin, a UCLA adjunct professor of chemistry and full-time L.A. County Fire Department firefighter, collaborated with UCLA researchers to examine how these chemicals interact with DNA sequences commonly linked
November 04, 2024