An academic at Edge Hill University has issued a health warning against the Governments planned expansion at Heathrow Airport.

After carrying out the first NHS funded research into air pollution chronology - how pollution has changed over time, Dr Ann Worsley, reader in physical Geography at Edge Hill, said that the visible smog that plagued Britain at the turn of the century may have disappeared, but a more harmful type of pollution, invisible to the naked eye, has taken its place.

The increased use of fossil fuel for air travel has meant a rise in fine particles being emitted into the air says Dr Worsley. As the particles are smaller than those emitted by coal combustion, they can actually penetrate the membrane surrounding vital organs, particularly the lungs, of those exposed to it, causing short and long-term respiratory problems.

Dr Worsley said: "Our research has shown that the most likely culprits of the different type of atmospheric pollution are road vehicles and air traffic. This has enormous implications for community health, especially where expansion to airport size is planned."

Liverpool, Runcorn and Widnes were all key to the Industrial Revolution and were at the centre of the chemical industry for many years. After analysing areas such as the lake at Speke Hall, adjacent to Liverpool's John Lennon Airport, Dr Worsley concluded that the evidence clearly shows that atmospheric pollution has been ongoing from the early 19 Century and although its composition has changed, it is still significant today.

Dr Worsley said: "I believe that the Government should be making more progress on curbing emissions from the aviation industry and from road transport, as well as from industrial sources, for our own health and well-being, our communities and for the environment in which we live.

"We hear much in the press about carbon being emitted into the atmosphere but very little about the other pollutant emissions. The ‘cost' to health services from the emissions by transport and industry may actually be considerable.

"In the long-term, policy on atmosphere should not just concentrate on carbon dioxide but should also target the ultra fine particulates which may be affecting human health."

Dr Ann Worsley teaches on the BA (Hons) Physical Geography and Geology degree at Edge Hill University. New for 2009 is BSc (Hons) Environmental Science.