Assessment of potential health effects of light-duty diesel exhaust

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5595640

Travis, C C; Munro, N B

The potential human health impacts of a substantial increase in the use of light-duty diesel vehicles for personal transportation (50% of the automobile fleet by the year 2020) were assessed with recommendations for future research. Available data concerning the relationships between diesel emissions, ambient air quality, and human health are summarized. The authors conclude that the estimate for the number of annual lung cancer deaths by the year 2020 as a result of exposure to diesel particulates is between 350 and 2100. Lack of comparable data for gasoline engines makes a comparison of the effects of diesel and gasoline engines difficult. However, available data suggest that the health effects from gasoline engines without catalytic converters and burning leaded fuel may be an order of magnitude greater in a per mile basis than those from diesel engines. On the other hand, the health effects from gasoline engines with catalytic converters and burning unleaded fuel are likely to be an order of magnitude less than the health effects from diesel engines.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5595640
• Report Number(s): ORNL/PPA-83/4; ON: DE83016393
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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AIR
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
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COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIESEL ENGINES
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ENGINES
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EPIDEMIOLOGY
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ORGANS
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PHENOLS
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POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SENSITIVITY
SURFACE AIR
TOLUENE
WASTES
XYLENES