Critical Assessment of Health Studies on Diesel Exhaust

Health studies on Diesel Exhaust (DE) have investigated emissions from older diesel engines and do not reflect the potential health effects from current new technology diesel engines. Epidemiological studies and extensive investigations in laboratory animals, have not conclusively demonstrated a causal relationship between DE exposure and lung cancer. Relatively high levels of Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) can elicit a mild, transient inflammatory response in the lung. Animal studies reported variable and inconsistent inflammatory changes. Human studies at high DE exposures suggest possible thrombogenic and ischemic effects. Some findings in animals were suggestive of potential reproductive responses at very high DE exposures. Chronic inhalation exposures with animal species found no adverse effects at levels 10–30 times higher than ambient DE levels.