for us, particulate matters
Diesel particles arise during the engine combustion of diesel fuel. Due to the continuously engine development, more and more small and fine diesel particles are emitted. Particles belong to the class of fine dust and are only a few nanometres large - too small to be noticed by the human eye. One nanometre is equivalent to one thousandth millimetre. Dust coming from the surface of streets, fields or dust from the breaks of cars are much bigger and do not belong to the fine dust classification in this respect.
It's about our health
After emerging, the particles are emitted through the exhaust gas piping of the vehicles to the ambient air, where they are inhaled by human beings. Bigger particles are held back by human cleaning devices such as the nose hair and mucous membranes. These mechanisms are not able to prevent humans from inhaling the fine diesel particles. Therefore, they are able to reach the alveoli of the lungs. Due to the reason that particles are not gases, they can neither be exhaled nor degenerated - they remain in the lungs. Diesel particles consist mainly of carbon.
Due to the engine combustion, the
particles are loaded with other harmful substances. A human being is
normally able to clean the lungs from inhaled substances by the so
called feed-cells. They enclose those substances and try to decompose
them. As a result of the chemical composition of diesel particles these
cells are not able to act in that way. The body reacts on the wasted efforts by producing uncontrolled excrescence - called
cancer.
Today, there are many studies and results from animal experiments
which prove that the probability to get ill by cancer is higher if a
human being is exposed to diesel emissions. People working on
construction sites, mines, in direct contact with the diesel engines or
people living in overcrowded areas or nearby highly frequented streets
are exposed to diesel particles exorbitantly. The dangerousness of
diesel particles legitimizes the efforts in reducing the emissions to
keep the healthiness of humans.