Abstract
The public and regulatory agencies will question the comparative health risks from inhaling Biodiesel (BDE) and petroleum diesel (PDE) exhaust. The principal health concern for inhaled PDE is lung cancer from the respirable soot, which contains known mutagens and carcinogens. Epidemiology suggests that heavy occupational exposures to PDE may slightly increase lung cancer risk; however, the magnitude of the risk is uncertain and controversial. Inhalation of high concentrations of PDE is also irritating to the lung. Lifetime inhalation exposures of rats to high concentrations of PDE causes chronic lung disease and an increase in lung tumors associated with the soot. Identical exposures are not carcinogenic in Syrian hamsters, and produce equivocal results in mice. Similar tumor responses of rats to PDE soot and mutagen-poor carbon black suggest that the organic mutagens are not important in the rat response. The responses of rat and monkey lungs to inhaled PDE soot differ, and it is now considered unlikely that the rat lung tumor results are applicable to humans. There are no epidemiological studies of inhaled BDE, and no published inhalation carcinogenicity studies. At this time, the relative health effects of Biodiesel and petroleum diesel exhaust can best be estimated by comparing the soot mass produced, the mutagenicity of organic emissions, and the irritant potentials of the two materials when inhaled. BDE contains less soot mass than PDE, and a greater portion of BDE soot is soluble. The soluble organic fraction of BDE soot is less mutagenic than that of PDE soot. These differences suggest that the carcinogenic potential of inhaled Biodiesel exhaust is probably less than that of petroleum diesel exhaust. Little is known about the relative irritant potentials of inhaled Biodiesel and petroleum diesel exhaust. Depending on the fuel, engine, and operating conditions, irritating gases and vapors can be greater or lesser for BDE than for PDE. The persistence and irritancy of BDE soot in the lung should be tested in animals. Overall, our present information suggests that the health risks of Biodiesel might be less than for petroleum diesel, and that the future of Biodiesel fuels will be limited more by economic factors than by health concerns.
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Mauderly, J.L. (1998). Health Issues Concerning Inhalation of Petroleum Diesel and Biodiesel Exhaust. In: Plant Oils as Fuels. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72269-1_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72269-1_8
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