Vehicle Exhaust - Toxicology

What is Vehicle Exhaust?

Vehicle exhaust refers to the emissions produced by the internal combustion engine of automobiles. These emissions include a mixture of gases and particulate matter, which are released into the atmosphere through the exhaust system of the vehicle.

What are the Main Components of Vehicle Exhaust?

Vehicle exhaust contains several toxic substances including:

Carbon monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Particulate matter (PM)
Hydrocarbons (HC)
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

How Does Vehicle Exhaust Affect Human Health?

Exposure to vehicle exhaust can have severe health implications. Carbon monoxide can impair oxygen delivery in the body, causing cardiovascular problems. Nitrogen oxides can irritate the respiratory system and aggravate conditions like asthma. Long-term exposure to particulate matter can lead to chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer. Hydrocarbons and VOCs are known to be carcinogenic.

What are the Environmental Impacts of Vehicle Exhaust?

Vehicle exhaust also has significant environmental consequences. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide contribute to the formation of acid rain, which can harm aquatic ecosystems and vegetation. Hydrocarbons react with NOx to form ground-level ozone, a major component of smog. Particulate matter can reduce air quality and visibility, affecting climate and ecosystems.

What are the Regulatory Measures for Vehicle Emissions?

To mitigate the harmful effects of vehicle exhaust, several regulatory measures have been implemented globally. These include emission standards set by organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Union (EU). These standards limit the amount of specific pollutants that vehicles can emit. Additionally, advances in vehicle technology, such as catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters, have been developed to reduce emissions.

How Can Individuals Reduce Exposure to Vehicle Exhaust?

Individuals can take several steps to reduce their exposure to harmful vehicle exhaust. Using alternative transportation methods such as public transit, biking, or walking can significantly decrease individual exposure. Additionally, maintaining vehicle health through regular maintenance checks ensures that emission control systems function properly. Using cleaner fuels and adopting electric vehicles also contribute to lower emissions.

What are the Future Directions in Mitigating Vehicle Exhaust?

The future of mitigating vehicle exhaust lies in the development and adoption of sustainable transportation solutions. This includes the advancement of electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which produce zero emissions. Furthermore, innovations in urban planning and infrastructure development can promote the use of cleaner transportation options and reduce overall vehicular emissions.

Relevant Publications

Low-vacuum SEM imaging and viability test of L929 cells exposed to a Euro 6 diesel exhaust gas mixture in a BAT-CELL chamber in comparison with hydrocarbons emission.

Issue Release: 2024

Characterizing ammonia emission from light-duty gasoline vehicles under the influence of multiple factors and its correlation with conventional pollutants.

Issue Release: 2024

Insight into the diurnal variations and potential sources of ambient PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during spring in Northern Taiwan.

Issue Release: 2024

Moss differentiating the fluxes and sources of nitrogen deposition between 1984 and 2021 in a mountain area of Northern China.

Issue Release: 2024

Single particle mass spectral signatures from on-road and non-road vehicle exhaust particles and their application in refined source apportionment using deep learning.

Issue Release: 2024

Emission characteristic, spatial distribution, and health risk of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs, NPAHs, and OPAHs) from light-duty gasoline and diesel vehicles based on on-road measurements.

Issue Release: 2024

Direct reduction of NO into N catalyzed by fullerene-supported rhodium clusters.

Issue Release: 2024

Assessment of the surface water quality and primary health risk in urban wastewater and its receiving river Kathajodi, Cuttack of eastern India.

Issue Release: 2024

Prenatal 1-Nitropyrene Exposure Causes Autism-Like Behavior Partially by Altering DNA Hydroxymethylation in Developing Brain.

Issue Release: 2024

Evaluation of a new real-time source apportionment system of PM and its implication on rapid aging of vehicle exhaust.

Issue Release: 2024

Ferruginous components of particulate matters in subway environments, α-FeO or FeO, exacerbates allergies.

Issue Release: 2024

Real-world greenhouse gas emission characteristics from in-use light-duty diesel trucks in China.

Issue Release: 2024

Database of emission factors of volatile organic compound (VOC) species in motor vehicle exhaust in China.

Issue Release: 2024

Inter-annual trends of ultrafine particles in urban Europe.

Issue Release: 2024

[Ozone Pollution in Suzhou During Early Summertime: Formation Mechanism and Interannual Variation].

Issue Release: 2024

Combined use of principal component analysis/multiple linear regression analysis and artificial neural network to assess the impact of meteorological parameters on fluctuation of selected PM2.5-bound elements.

Issue Release: 2024

Automotive braking is a source of highly charged aerosol particles.

Issue Release: 2024

Impacts of ethanol blended fuels and cold temperature on VOC emissions from gasoline vehicles in China.

Issue Release: 2024

Analysis of heavy metal and arsenic sources in mangrove surface sediments at Wulishan Port on Leizhou Peninsula, China, using the APCS-MLR model.

Issue Release: 2024

Changes in source contributions to the oxidative potential of PM in urban Xiamen, China.

Issue Release: 2024

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