New Delhi, March 14 -- The Delhi government on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, to conduct a pilot study on photocatalytic "smog-eating" surfaces that could help reduce air pollutants in the Capital. This will effectively entail coating sun-exposed surfaces with titanium dioxide (TiO2) to trigger chemical reactions to break down pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), both of which contribute to urban smog. The project will be led by IIT-M. Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the collaboration aims to evaluate whether such coatings can provide a practical solution to reduce pollution in the city. "Through this IIT-M ...