HEALTH ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT FOR DIESEL ENGINE EXHAUST

This assessment examined information regarding the possible health hazards associated with exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DE), which is a mixture of gases and particles. The assessment concludes that long-term inhalation exposure is likely to pose a lung cancer hazard to humans, as well as damage the lung in other ways depending on exposure. Short-term exposures can cause irritation and inflammatory symptoms of a transient nature, these being highly variable across the population. The assessment also indicates that evidence for exacerbation of existing allergies and asthma symptoms is emerging. The assessment recognizes that DE emissions, as a mixture of many constituents, also contribute to ambient concentrations of several criteria air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and fine particles, as well as other air toxics. The assessment's health hazard conclusions are based on exposure to exhaust from diesel engines built prior to the mid-1990s. The health hazard conclusions, in general, are applicable to engines currently in use, which include many older engines. As new diesel engines with cleaner exhaust emissions replace existing engines, the applicability of the conclusions in this health assessment document will need to be reevaluated.

Record URL:
Corporate Authors:
Environmental Protection Agency

National Center for Environmental Assessment, 401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC United States 20460
Publication Date: 2002-5

Language

English

Media Info

Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
Pagination: 669 p.

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Cancer; Diesel engine exhaust gases; Diesel engines; Hazard evaluation; Health hazards; Lungs; Nitrogen oxides; Particles; Pollutants
Uncontrolled Terms: Allergic reactions; Asthma
Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 00939567
Record Type: Publication
Report/Paper Numbers: EPA/600/8-90/057F
Files: TRIS
Created Date: Mar 3 2003 12:00AM