Switch to Ethanol as Fuel May Harm Health
from HealthDay
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- While ethanol is promoted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel for cars, its widespread use could pose a threat to human health, according to a Stanford University study.
Atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson concluded that if every vehicle in the United States was powered by fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of gasoline, there would likely be an increase in the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations.
The study is in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Jacobson used a computer model to simulate what air quality conditions in the United States would be in 2020, if there was widespread use of vehicles fueled by E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
"We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others -- formaldehyde and acetaldehyde," Jacobson said in a prepared statement. "As a result, cancer rates for E85 are likely to be similar to those for gasoline. However, in some parts of the country, E85 significantly increased ozone, a prime ingredient of smog."
(Continued here.)
WEDNESDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- While ethanol is promoted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel for cars, its widespread use could pose a threat to human health, according to a Stanford University study.
Atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson concluded that if every vehicle in the United States was powered by fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of gasoline, there would likely be an increase in the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations.
The study is in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Jacobson used a computer model to simulate what air quality conditions in the United States would be in 2020, if there was widespread use of vehicles fueled by E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
"We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others -- formaldehyde and acetaldehyde," Jacobson said in a prepared statement. "As a result, cancer rates for E85 are likely to be similar to those for gasoline. However, in some parts of the country, E85 significantly increased ozone, a prime ingredient of smog."
(Continued here.)
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