C1337 words2:30News Report British AccentPublished Mar 20, 2026 · Updated Mar 23, 2026

Society & Current AffairsHealth Environment Science

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Study Reveals 'Smokeless' Fuels Release Ultrafine Particles That Penetrate Deep Into Human Lungs

A groundbreaking study from the University of Galway has revealed that so-called smokeless fuels, widely marketed as cleaner alternatives, actually emit alarming quantities of ultrafine particles.

These toxic substances are so minuscule that they can bypass the body's natural defences and become permanently embedded deep within lung tissue.

The findings raise urgent questions about whether current air quality regulations adequately address the health risks posed by these products.

Researchers made the discovery accidentally while conducting laboratory tests on traditional and modern eco-design stoves.

They had initially set out to compare particle emissions from smokeless coal ovoids and olive-stone briquettes against those from conventional wood and coal.

Although these alternative fuels did produce less visible smoke, per kilogram burned they generated between two and three times more ultrafine particles than their traditional counterparts.

Professor Jurgita Ovadnevaite, from the University of Galway, emphasised that the results had taken the research team entirely by surprise.

She cautioned that no previous investigation had considered the possibility that reduced smoke might simultaneously correspond to a surge in ultrafine particle emissions.

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Had this phenomenon been identified sooner, regulations governing smokeless fuels might have been formulated differently, she argued.

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Doctor Chunshui Lin, who co-led the investigation, described the painstaking methodology behind the research.

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He noted that the team had spent nearly two months burning fuel samples on a virtually daily basis to guarantee data quality and consistency.

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Not only did the laboratory findings prove significant, but they also prompted the researchers to re-examine prior outdoor air quality measurements taken in Dublin and the town of Birr.

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The implications of this research extend well beyond the laboratory, as millions of households across Europe continue to rely on smokeless fuels for domestic heating.

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Were policymakers to act on these findings, it is conceivable that stricter emission standards for such products would be introduced.

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Until then, experts urge that consumers remain informed about the potential lung health consequences of burning fuels previously deemed safe.

Phrase List (9 phrases)

Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.

set out to

phrasal verb

To start an activity with a particular aim or intention.

Example: They had initially set out to compare particle emissions from smokeless coal ovoids and olive-stone briquettes.

raise questions about

collocation

To cause people to doubt or feel uncertain about something.

Example: The findings raise urgent questions about whether current air quality regulations adequately address health risks.

take someone by surprise

idiom

To surprise someone by happening unexpectedly.

Example: The results had taken the research team entirely by surprise.

extend well beyond

collocation

To have an influence or effect that reaches much further than a specific area.

Example: The implications of this research extend well beyond the laboratory.

deemed safe

collocation

Considered or judged to be safe.

Example: Consumers remain informed about the potential health consequences of burning fuels previously deemed safe.

smokeless fuels

technical term

A regulatory category of solid fuels, such as anthracite or manufactured briquettes, that are legally permitted for use in smoke-control areas because they emit minimal visible smoke.

Example: The city council requires residents in smoke-control zones to use only approved smokeless fuels.

eco-design stoves

technical term

Stoves that meet specific European Union standards (Ecodesign Directive) for high energy efficiency and low emission levels of particulate matter and other pollutants.

Example: From 2022, all new wood-burning stoves sold in the UK must be eco-design compliant.

coal ovoids

technical term

A type of manufactured smokeless fuel made from coal dust and a binder, pressed into an oval or egg shape for consistent burning.

Example: Smokeless coal ovoids are often preferred for multi-fuel stoves due to their long burn time.

domestic heating

technical term

The systems and methods used to provide warmth within private residential households, as opposed to industrial or commercial heating.

Example: The transition from coal to gas for domestic heating significantly improved urban air quality.

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Smokeless Fuels Contain Ultrafine Particles That Get Embedded in Lungs, Study Shows

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