A new study of dust sources in Delhi will provide important insights into how individual sources of airborne matter contribute to the overall concentrations, measured in the atmosphere, scientists said on Tuesday.

Researchers from the IIT, Delhi, University of Birmingham, UK and the Desert Research Institute in Nevada, USA, are collaborating to provide scientific evidence in this area which will assist in the development of targeted policy instruments to control air pollution.

Prof Roy M Harrison, head, environmental health sciences group, University of Birmingham, said, "Exposure to particulate matter has negative consequences for human health but cost-effective abatement measures depend upon a quantitative knowledge of the contributions of different sources in the atmosphere."