The latest scientific research tells us that bio fuels used in vehicles are more injurious for human health than the petrol that we are using today. The EU agreed that by 2020, 10% of all transport means should run on bio fuels.
The researchers invented a special computer model in order to determine air quality in 2020. The model reveals that ozone level in some regions of the world would grow if bio ethanol was used for all cars. It would increase ailments and asthma attacks. After knowing all this a question appears in our minds that why should we use bio fuels if they are that much dangerous for the Environment and particularly human health?
As revealed by the study, the smog level increases 200 deaths every year in the US, with only Los Angeles at risk of 120 deaths. Even if we take into consideration that ozone increase in some US regions would be partially compensated by its decrease in other regions, in general there would be over 700 extra complaints to accident and emergency and almost 1000 extra hospitalizations of people suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases.
The scientists discovered that the use of ethanol reduces levels of two carcinogens found in atmosphere, while increases levels of other carcinogens. This elaborates that; cancers caused by atmospheric carcinogens would remain at the same level as it is caused today by pollution due to petrol fumes.
Bio fuels such as ethanol and diesel are mainly produced from corn, sugarcane and rapeseed. They diminish greenhouse gas emissions if compared to conventional fuels. Although bio fuels produce carbon dioxide, the plants growing control them by absorption of a similar amount of the gas from the atmosphere. According to a government report, the use of bio fuels would result in reducing gas emissions’ by 50-60 % compared to petrol fuels. However, it would not be possible to have all vehicles run on ethanol fuel as it requires too much land for growing the plants.
Right now some scientists are also considering the possibility of converting all vehicles to battery-electric. The required amount of electricity would be supplied by wind energy. The use of battery-electric cars would secure the mankind from 10,000 annual air pollution deaths as well as 98 % of carbon emissions produced by vehicles.
Moving towards the conclusion, there would be no clear answers so far whether the use of bio-fuels will be somehow better for people’s health or they are a threat for human health. The controversial issue is still to be thoroughly studied by scientists and more research is to be made on it.
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