The United States is putting around $2million into research on improving air quality. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded five grants to universities to help track the effectiveness of pollution control measures.

Researchers will work out how to stop short term problems such as heat waves affecting air quality with the grants, which are focused on generating better data and tools.

Pollutants such as ozone and fine particles have been linked to serious health effects, including aggravation of asthma and other lung diseases and heart attacks.

Bob Kavlock, deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development said: “This research will help improve our efforts to respond quickly to short-term air pollution issues such as heat waves or seasonal impacts on air quality.”