Search Results

Automotive engines produce pollutant species which has the potential to damage human health as well as the environment. The toxicity potential of these species depends on the concentration, route, and exposure time. Toxicity studies are required in the current scenario due to increased pollution levels by vehicles used for transportation. This study is a review focused on the toxicity analysis of particulate, elemental (particle associated as soot), and organic carbon (organic fraction, PAHs) emission from the internal combustion engine with conventional and alternative fuels like biodiesel and alcohol. The study is focused on the formation, characterization, and quantification of particulate matter, elemental and organic carbon, and their effect on human health. The other part of the study is focused on mutagenicity (mutation in DNA) and cytotoxicity (cell toxicity) of the particulate emitted from the engines.

Emission regulations mandate the measurement of solid particles of size greater than 23 nm according to UNECE informal working group particle measurement protocol (PMP). The volatile particles from the engine exhaust are removed by heating and dilution in a device according to the UNECE PMP program. The analysis of solid particles from diesel engines requires aerosol conditioning systems, which can effectively remove volatile particles/species with minimum solid particle losses. Currently, the regulations only allow using an evaporation tube for the measurement of solid particles. Different laboratories have also demonstrated other alternatives such as thermodenuder and catalytic stripper for measuring the solid ultrafine particles emitted from the diesel engine. This paper reviews the recent literature related to the thermodenuder and catalytic striper’s design and operating characteristics.