I heard many years ago that a diesel engine does not emit carbon monoxide, because of it's efficiency. That is the reason you can sleep in your truck and not have to worry. It's the gas engines that are dangerous. I have asked this question of many a mechanic and some say it's true, some say no. I tried to do a search on the subject, but could find only the following from an April 2004 Overdive article:
When it comes to the potential hazards of diesel exhaust, Randy Dunn, an owner-operator for Universal Am-Can, is unconcerned.
“Sometimes I have gotten out of the bunk with a headache from an exhaust leak, but the old timers say that’s about all it will do to you,” he says. “It won’t kill you.”
The old-timers are wrong. Though it takes a concentrated dose of carbon monoxide to kill you, prolonged exposure to small amounts can cause much more than headaches. Burning eyes, dizziness, labored breathing, chest pains, nausea, stiff joints, sleep disorders, and visual and mental impairment are among the symptoms attributed to poisoning from CO or certain other components of diesel exhaust.
It goes on to say:
THE WICKED STUFF IN EXHAUST
Diesel’s dangerous components include particulates and many gases known to be irritants and carcinogens.
“More than 40 substances [present in diesel exhaust] are pollutants,” says the American Lung Association website. It also warns that “exposure to diesel exhaust increases the risk of developing lung cancer and other non-cancer-related health problems.” The University of Minnesota website dedicated to environmental health concerns notes, “Diesel exhaust contains 20 to 100 times more particles than gasoline exhaust. These particles carry absorbed cancer-causing substances.”
While new oils have been created to trap particulates, and new standards created to limit them, some particulates still escape into the air.
Particulates may be visible as smoke or they may be so small as to be invisible, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The particulate matter standard, revised in 1997, now deals with particles in the 2.5 micron (1 millionth of a meter) range, down from 10 microns, often referred to as PM-10. The EPA’s AIRTrends website says, “Major concerns for human health from exposure to PM-10 include: effects on breathing and respiratory systems, damage to lung tissue, cancer, and premature death. People with chronic lung disease, influenza or asthma are especially sensitive to the effects of particulate matter.”
The smaller particles are often the most harmful because they are more easily inhaled and more easily lodge in lung tissue. Some ultra-fine particles leave the lungs and migrate to the brain, where they remain, says Dr. Jack Lebeau of Philadelphia, an expert on the effects of diesel exhaust.
Exhaust gases, too, pose problems. “Not all the gases in diesel exhaust are carcinogens, but those that are not are irritants, and others are especially harmful for people with pre-existing conditions like emphysema, heart disease and the inclination to have strokes,” Lebeau says. “And smokers who inhale exhaust are many times more likely to develop lung cancer.”
Among these gases are carbon monoxide, perhaps the most dangerous gas in diesel exhaust. Dr. David Penney, a toxicologist at Wayne State University, says there is much more CO in diesel than in gasoline exhaust because cars are equipped with catalytic converters that filter out CO.
“Exposure to elevated levels of CO is associated with visual impairment, reduced work capacity, poor learning ability and difficulty in performing complex tasks,” says the EPA website.
Lebeau adds, “CO is a killer at higher concentrations. It can cause unconsciousness and death in minutes.” At lower concentrations it can cause headaches, stiff joints, sleep disorders and disorientation. Penney says he has received thousands of calls from people, including dozens of truck drivers, who believe they are suffering from CO poisoning.
In addition, ozone is formed when sunlight comes in contact with oxides of nitrogen. Ozone is ground-level smog of the sort you see and smell in truck parking lots. According to the EPA website, “Exposure to ozone for six or seven hours, even at relatively low concentrations, significantly reduces lung function and induces respiratory inflammation in normal, healthy people during periods of moderate exercise.”
Other exhaust gases are nitric oxide, which is extremely toxic; nitrogen dioxide, a respiratory irritant; formaldehyde and benzene, which are carcinogens; and sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, all known to have harmful effects at high concentrations.
Anybody have any other info?
When it comes to the potential hazards of diesel exhaust, Randy Dunn, an owner-operator for Universal Am-Can, is unconcerned.
“Sometimes I have gotten out of the bunk with a headache from an exhaust leak, but the old timers say that’s about all it will do to you,” he says. “It won’t kill you.”
The old-timers are wrong. Though it takes a concentrated dose of carbon monoxide to kill you, prolonged exposure to small amounts can cause much more than headaches. Burning eyes, dizziness, labored breathing, chest pains, nausea, stiff joints, sleep disorders, and visual and mental impairment are among the symptoms attributed to poisoning from CO or certain other components of diesel exhaust.
It goes on to say:
THE WICKED STUFF IN EXHAUST
Diesel’s dangerous components include particulates and many gases known to be irritants and carcinogens.
“More than 40 substances [present in diesel exhaust] are pollutants,” says the American Lung Association website. It also warns that “exposure to diesel exhaust increases the risk of developing lung cancer and other non-cancer-related health problems.” The University of Minnesota website dedicated to environmental health concerns notes, “Diesel exhaust contains 20 to 100 times more particles than gasoline exhaust. These particles carry absorbed cancer-causing substances.”
While new oils have been created to trap particulates, and new standards created to limit them, some particulates still escape into the air.
Particulates may be visible as smoke or they may be so small as to be invisible, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The particulate matter standard, revised in 1997, now deals with particles in the 2.5 micron (1 millionth of a meter) range, down from 10 microns, often referred to as PM-10. The EPA’s AIRTrends website says, “Major concerns for human health from exposure to PM-10 include: effects on breathing and respiratory systems, damage to lung tissue, cancer, and premature death. People with chronic lung disease, influenza or asthma are especially sensitive to the effects of particulate matter.”
The smaller particles are often the most harmful because they are more easily inhaled and more easily lodge in lung tissue. Some ultra-fine particles leave the lungs and migrate to the brain, where they remain, says Dr. Jack Lebeau of Philadelphia, an expert on the effects of diesel exhaust.
Exhaust gases, too, pose problems. “Not all the gases in diesel exhaust are carcinogens, but those that are not are irritants, and others are especially harmful for people with pre-existing conditions like emphysema, heart disease and the inclination to have strokes,” Lebeau says. “And smokers who inhale exhaust are many times more likely to develop lung cancer.”
Among these gases are carbon monoxide, perhaps the most dangerous gas in diesel exhaust. Dr. David Penney, a toxicologist at Wayne State University, says there is much more CO in diesel than in gasoline exhaust because cars are equipped with catalytic converters that filter out CO.
“Exposure to elevated levels of CO is associated with visual impairment, reduced work capacity, poor learning ability and difficulty in performing complex tasks,” says the EPA website.
Lebeau adds, “CO is a killer at higher concentrations. It can cause unconsciousness and death in minutes.” At lower concentrations it can cause headaches, stiff joints, sleep disorders and disorientation. Penney says he has received thousands of calls from people, including dozens of truck drivers, who believe they are suffering from CO poisoning.
In addition, ozone is formed when sunlight comes in contact with oxides of nitrogen. Ozone is ground-level smog of the sort you see and smell in truck parking lots. According to the EPA website, “Exposure to ozone for six or seven hours, even at relatively low concentrations, significantly reduces lung function and induces respiratory inflammation in normal, healthy people during periods of moderate exercise.”
Other exhaust gases are nitric oxide, which is extremely toxic; nitrogen dioxide, a respiratory irritant; formaldehyde and benzene, which are carcinogens; and sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, all known to have harmful effects at high concentrations.
Anybody have any other info?
