BIOFUEL might help reduce carbon emissions, but Queensland scientists warn the health risks should be examined to prevent another lead petrol disaster.
Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor Zoran Ristovski told AAP health risks of biofuels should not be overlooked in the haste to tackle global warming."It's not only important to look at the environmental impact but we also have to look at the toxicity, if we don't want another lead petrol disaster,'' he said.
Professor Zoran Ristovski and two PhD students have studied the toxicity of biofuel particles, using special monitoring equipment.
"Once the diesel fuel is substituted with more than 20 per cent ethanol, the particles seem to be more toxic,'' he said.
"We have found that diesel substituted with ethanol levels greater than 20 per cent contain high levels of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species which can be harmful to health.''
Professor Zoran Ristovski said excessive exposure to free radicals in the air have been linked to respiratory diseases including asthma.
"Australia is the largest producer of ethanol,'' he said.
"What we're pointing out is that those substitutions should not be large.
"Keep it at a smaller percentage... up to 20 per cent seems like the particles are similar to that of pure diesel.''
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