More fossil fuel-burning power plants and more private cars on the road mean Latin Americans are inhaling more airborne particulates, a trend that has health experts warning about pollution-related diseases. A recent World Health Organization (WHO) survey that included 110 Latin American cities shows that only three of these cities in the region—Ambato and Ibarra in Ecuador and Salvador in Brazil—came in under the organization’s recommended limits for particulates. In cities for which past data are available, levels have increased in recent years, according to the study. Concern is rising because health impacts from air particulates—indoors and out—go beyond respiratory problems. They also include cardiovascular troubles such as heart disease and stroke, says Agnes Soares, advisor in environmental epidemiology... [Log in to read more]