Chemical Components
Diesel engines produce very little carbon monoxide as they burn the fuel in excess air even at full load, at which point the quantity of fuel injected per cycle is still about 50 percent lean of stoichiometric.
This is a list of chemical components that have been found in diesel exhaust.
| Contaminant | Note |
|---|---|
| acetaldehyde | IARC Group 2B carcinogens |
| acrolein | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| aniline | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| antimony compounds | Toxicity similar to arsenic poisoning |
| arsenic | IARC Group 1 Carcinogens, endocrine disruptor |
| benzene | IARC Group 1 Carcinogens |
| beryllium compounds | IARC Group 1 Carcinogens |
| biphenyl | It has mild toxicity. |
| bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate | endocrine disruptor |
| 1,3-butadiene | IARC Group 2A carcinogens |
| cadmium | IARC Group 1 Carcinogens, endocrine disruptor |
| chlorine | |
| chlorobenzene | It has "low to moderate" toxicity. |
| chromium compounds | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| cobalt compounds | |
| cresol isomers | |
| cyanide compounds | |
| dibutyl phthalate | endocrine disruptor |
| 1,8-dinitropyrene | Carcinogen |
| dioxins and dibenzofurans | |
| ethyl benzene | |
| formaldehyde | IARC Group 1 Carcinogens |
| inorganic lead | endocrine disruptor |
| manganese compounds | |
| mercury compounds | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| methanol | It may cause blindness. |
| methyl ethyl ketone | It may cause birth defect. |
| naphthalene | IARC Group 2B carcinogens |
| nickel | IARC Group 2B carcinogens |
| 3-Nitrobenzanthrone | One of the strongest carcinogens known |
| 4-nitrobiphenyl | |
| phenol | endocrine disruptor |
| phosphorus | |
| polycyclic organic matter, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | |
| propionaldehyde | |
| selenium compounds | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| styrene | IARC Group 2B carcinogens |
| toluene | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
| xylene isomers and mixtures: o-xylenes, m-xylenes, p-xylenes | IARC Group 3 carcinogens |
Some problems associated with the exhaust gases (nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides) can be mitigated with further investment and equipment; some diesel cars now have catalytic converters in the exhaust.
All diesel engine exhaust emissions can be significantly reduced by using biodiesel fuel. Oxides of nitrogen do increase from a vehicle using biodiesel, but they too can be reduced to levels below that of fossil fuel diesel, by changing fuel injection timing.
Read more about this topic: Diesel Exhaust
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