Toxic gases in heavy duty diesel truck cabs. Final report, October 1976--October 1977

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:6727703

Ziskind, R; Carlin, T; Axelrod, M; Allen, R W; Schwartz, S H

An experimental program was conducted to measure the cab concentrations of several toxic gases throughout a significant cross section of conditions and vehicles comprising heavy duty diesel truck population and use. Ambient and in-cab concentrations were continuously measured for carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. Supplemental air bag samples were analyzed for sulfur oxides and total hydrocarbons. These data were used to assess the potential for performance and health degradation due to vehicle self-contamination. A tracer gas, SF6, was used to delineate the relative importance of various emission source locations and cab entrance pathways. The tracer tests showed that cab floor openings serve as a principal pathway for engine compartment gas transmission into the cab. A number of tractors were surveyed by idling and/or road tests. Primary findings included establishing a statistical correlation between vehicle-induced elevated in-cab concentrations of specific gases and several testing parameters including: condition of windows, type of cab configuration and the presence of exhaust leaks and underside cab openings. Many vehicles were found to have in-cab concentrations of greater than 0.5 ppm NO2 which is considered by NIOSH to be a significant occupational exposure concentration.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6727703
• Report Number(s): PB-275957; SAI-260-78-52
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DIESEL ENGINES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
GASEOUS WASTES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
OCCUPATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SAMPLING
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
TOXICITY
TRUCKS
VEHICLES
WASTES