Increased Ethanol production is not without its controversy in the US, but now a new study suggests that the cleaner burning fuel may contribute to more lung ailments if its use becomes widespread.

The conclusions drawn for Environmental Science & Technology by Mark Z. Jacobson, an atmospheric scientist, paints a future of smoggy conditions and an increase of ozone-related breathing problems.

Switching to E85 blends (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline) could result in slightly higher ozone-related mortality, hospitalization, and asthma (9% higher in Los Angeles and 4% higher in the U.S. as a whole), the study finds. Cancer rates would be similar for gasoline and E85.

"It's true that ethanol does decrease some pollutants, but it also increases some others," Jacobson says. Compared with gasoline, ethanol tends to produce less benzene and butadiene, but more acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, when burned.

According to his research, this would increase the death toll by 185 persons per year in the US, with 125 of those coming from Los Angeles.