Study: Biofuels harmful to human health

Biofuels could prove to be harmful to than petrol and diesel when it comes to human health, the results of a new study have shown.

Carried out by the University of Minnesota, the research concluded that corn-based bioethanol has a more detrimental effect on the environment and human health than traditional fuels.

This news comes after environmentalists raised concern over biofuels pushing up the price of food globally as well as land being cleared to make way for increased volumes of crops.

David Tilman, professor of the department of ecology, evolution and behavior at the university, explained that particles of ammonia merge with dust particles to form larger-sized particles that could be damaging to health.

He stated: "Some of this gets blown by prevailing winds into areas of higher population density – that's where you have the large number of people having the health impact which raises the cost."

Conventional petrol mixed with biofuel is set to go on sale at gas stations in Korea this April as the country explores how to decrease its dependency upon fossil fuels in the future, reported the Chosun Ilbo.