LEAD CONTENT OF GASOLINES

The various implications of progressively lowering the lead content of gasoline from its present legal level (0.64 g/l in France) to zero are studied by a French Government advisory committee including fuel specialists from petroleum refineries, car manufacturers, and government agencies. Direct health hazards from lead particles released as aerosols are only marginal, but lead is an effective poison of the catalysts aimed at converting other harmful agents. The economical lead-free gasoline of the future will have a lower octane number than the present premium standard, possibly 95 instead of 99. This will call for process modifications from the refineries, new engine and emission control designs from the car manufacturer, and a lower efficiency acceptance level from the drivers. Lead level in gasoline for the present car population may only be brought down to 0.40-0.45 g/l at the cost of minor adjustments and power loss. Bringing it further down would lead to prohibitive gasoline costs, other very harmful pollutants emissions (aromatics,PNA's, etc.) and threat to the life of engine parts. A January 1, 1980, tentative deadline is submitted for compulsory lead-free regular gasoline. No estimate of the costs involved is quoted. The document gives a general picture of the problem and the spirit in which it will be tackled by the French Government.

• Corporate Authors:

  French Technical Committee on Petrol Products

  Paris,   France 
• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 40 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Costs; Economic efficiency; Engines; Gasoline; Health; Lead (Metal); Octane number; Refining
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Octane rating
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00072029
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Systems Center
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 22 1975 12:00AM