A way of destroying tiny exhaust particles thought to be a major cause of asthma is being developed by London Imperial College and Johnson Matthey Catalyst Systems Division.

The Gaspart research programme – an exhaust gas particulate control system – has been undertaken as part of the Foresight Vehicle initiative, a Government-funded programme aimed at maintaining Britain's position as leaders in high technology in the automotive sector.

Dr Stan Golunski, one of the four Johnson Matthey scientists based at the company's central research facility at Sonning Common near Reading, says: "Gaspart is an elegantly simple concept, not requiring for production the manufacture of any special materials or components, apart from the catalyst."

The Johnson Matthey Catalyst Systems Division is designing and developing a working unit comparable in size and shape to its familiar range of catalytic converters currently fitted by vehicle manufacturers around the world.