Is Diesel Exhaust Fluid Toxic?
2 Answers
The scientific name of automotive urea is Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), which is a toxic substance. DEF is used in diesel engines as part of the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles. More details about DEF are as follows: 1. Composition: It consists of 32.5% high-purity urea and 67.5% deionized water. 2. SCR System: The SCR system includes a DEF tank (which holds the diesel exhaust fluid) and an SCR catalytic reaction tank. The operation process of the SCR system is as follows: when nitrogen oxides are detected in the exhaust pipe, the DEF tank automatically sprays DEF, which then reacts with nitrogen oxides in the SCR catalytic reaction tank through redox reactions, producing harmless nitrogen and water vapor that are released. 3. Usage Precautions: If not used for a long time, urea may crystallize and block the system pipes, leading to higher maintenance costs.
That stuff is pretty common when I work on cars. Diesel exhaust fluid is AdBlue, mainly containing a urea aqueous solution. It's not highly toxic, but definitely not good for the body. Contact with skin might cause redness and itching - I once got rashes on my hands when working without gloves, now I always wear protective gear. Getting it in the eyes is more dangerous, requires flushing with clean water for a long time. If accidentally ingested, it causes stomach burning and severe cases need hospital treatment. So store it high up to keep it away from children and pets, and avoid leaks during maintenance. It crystallizes easily and can freeze into clumps blocking pipes in cold winter temperatures, requiring regular cleaning or fluid replacement. Although it helps reduce emissions for environmental protection, improper handling can cause problems - we need to be careful with it.
