6/5/2012
Researchers investigate air pollution in India
Professor Abul Mandal and senior lecturer Cecilia Eriksson - both at the Systems Biology Research Centre at the University of Skövde – have received 2,1 million SEK in research grants from the Swedish international development cooperation Agency –SIDA.
The money will be used to investigate the relationship between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and the smoke from cook stoves that rural Indian women are exposed to while cocking. Half a million Indians die every year due COPD induced by air pollution.
The researchers will also investigate if the smoke from the cook stoves can be contained and used as a carbon source for the cultivation of algae. Oil from cultivated algae is to be used as an energy source for the cook stoves, thus making a self-sustainable system.