Wood Smoke and Air Pollution

There is nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a blazing fire in the hearth or in a wood-burning stove. But Danish chemists have raised concern about the invisible pollution those lovely flames create. The particles thrown off in smoke and inhaled into the lungs have adverse health effects. The scientists found that these particles were small enough to get into the deepest part of the lungs and contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are probable carcinogens. In cell cultures, wood smoke particles caused significant inflammation. That may be why wood smoke pollution has been linked to asthma, bronchitis and heart disease.
[Chemical Research in Toxicology, Feb. 5, 2011]