Air pollution 'reaches babies in the womb'

Air pollution particles have been found in foetuses, researchers say, suggesting that soot nanoparticles can cross the placenta and get into organs of foetuses.

University of Aberdeen and Hasselt University, Belgium experts said their finding was “especially concerning” because key organ development occurs when foetuses are growing in the uterus.

Researchers examined 60 pregnant mothers and their babies in Aberdeen and the Grampian region in Scotland.

They also analysed tissue samples from 36 foetuses that had been aborted between seven and 20 weeks of gestation.

The team found evidence of “black carbon particles” — also known as soot particles — in umbilical cord blood, which shows that the particles can cross the placenta.

Soot particles were present in all mothers and newborns.

The level of particles found was linked to the amount of air pollution to which the mother was exposed during pregnancy.

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The research team also found the presence of such particles in the livers, lungs and brains of the foetuses.

Black carbon particles were found in all tissue samples analysed.

The scientists warned that the particles could be seen in foetuses as early as the first trimester of pregnancy.

This is the first time it has been shown that black carbon nanoparticles can be found in developing foetuses.

Black carbon is one of the many particles and gases that are emitted when diesel, coal and other biomass fuels are burned.

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It is part of the fine particulate air pollution known as PM2.5.

“We found that maternally inhaled carbonaceous air pollution particles can cross the placenta and then translocate into human foetal organs during gestation,” the authors wrote in the journal Lancet Planetary Health.

“These findings are especially concerning because this window of exposure is key to organ development.”

Prof Tim Nawrot, from Hasselt University, said: “We know that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and infancy has been linked with still birth, pre-term birth, low weight babies and disturbed brain development, with consequences persisting throughout life .

“We show in this study that the number of black carbon particles that get into the mother are passed on proportionally to the placenta and into the baby.

“This means that air quality regulation should recognise this transfer during gestation and act to protect the most susceptible stages of human development.”

Prof Paul Fowler, from the University of Aberdeen, said the researchers were “worried that if nanoparticles were getting into the foetus, then they might be directly affecting its development in the womb".

“What we have shown for the first time is that black carbon air pollution nanoparticles not only get into the first and second trimester placenta, but then also find their way into the organs of the developing foetus, including the liver and lungs," Prof Fowler said

“What is even more worrying is that these black carbon particles also get into the developing human brain.

"This means that it is possible for these nanoparticles to directly interact with control systems within human foetal organs and cells.”

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”