Information about health aspects

Diesel engines generate dangerous gases

Diesel fumes contains thousands of different chemical substances. 90% of the soot consists of <1 μ diameter particles that can be inhaled and deposited in the lungs. The particles carry absorbed cancer causing substances known as polynucleararomatic hydrocarbons. Studies show workers exposed to higher levels of diesel exhaust are more likely to develop lung cancer. In 1990, the state of California identified diesel exhaust as a chemical known to cause cancer The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that diesel exhaust probably causes cancer in humans The EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) has proposed classifying diesel exhaust fumes as a probable human carcinogens

External information about health aspects

The International Assoc of Fire Fighters www.iaff.org	NIOSH The National Inst for Occup. Safety and Health www.cdc.gov/niosh
OSHA US Dep of Labor Occ Safety & Health Adm www.osha.gov/SLTC/diesel exhaust	Diesel Exh Emission Standards www.dieselnet.com
National Fire Protection Ass www.nfpa.org	US Env Prot Agency www.epa.gov
Office of Env Health Haszard Ass www.oehha.ca.gov	American Lung Ass of California www.californialung.org
Health and Safety Exec, UK www.hse.gov.uk	European Agency for Safety and Health at work www.agency.osha.eu.int
Svenska Brandskyddsföreningen http://www.brandskyddsforeningen.se

Short term symptoms of diesel fumes Irritation of the eyes nose and throat Light-headedness Feeling “high” Heartburn Headache Weakness, numbness and tingling in extremities Chest tightness Wheezing Vomiting

9000 compounds in diesel fumes are carcinogenic

Major Components Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Nitric oxide Sulfurdioxide,

Minor Components Acrolein o-Anisaldehyde Benzene 2,3-Benzofuran Coumarin Formaldehyde 4-Hydroxycoumarin m-Hydroxyacetophenone 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone Menadione 6-Methoxytetralone 6-Methylcoumarin 3-Methyl-2-cyclopentene-2-ol-one Trimethylbenzene Polynucleararomatic hydrocarbons

Acenaphthene Acenaphthylene Anthracene Benz[a]anthracene Benzo[b]fluoranthene Benzo[k]fluoranthene Benzo[ghi]perylene Benzo[a]pyrene Benzo[e]pyrene Crysene Dibenz[a,h]anthracene Fluoranthene Fluorene Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene Naphthalene Phenanthrene Pyrene