What Are the Harms of Vehicle Exhaust Emissions?
3 Answers
Vehicle exhaust emissions can harm lung tissue, cause emphysema, and induce lung cancer. Below are detailed explanations: Harm to Lung Tissue: Carbon monoxide is the most abundant component in vehicle exhaust. It enters the alveoli through the respiratory tract, is absorbed into the bloodstream, and binds with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin. This reduces the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, diminishes oxygen supply to body tissues, and leads to tissue hypoxia, resulting in symptoms such as headaches. In severe cases, it can cause suffocation and death. Causing Emphysema: Nitrogen oxides in vehicle exhaust are present in smaller quantities but are highly toxic—three times more toxic than sulfur oxides. When nitrogen oxides enter the alveoli, they form nitrous and nitric acids, which intensely irritate lung tissue and increase the permeability of pulmonary capillaries, ultimately leading to emphysema. Inducing Lung Cancer: Vehicle exhaust contains over 200 types of hydrocarbons. Among them, C2H4 can cause abnormal plant development when its atmospheric concentration reaches 0.5 ppm. Additionally, 32 types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including carcinogens like 3,4-benzopyrene, have been detected in vehicle exhaust. When the concentration of benzopyrene in the air is high, the incidence of lung cancer among residents significantly increases.
Car exhaust is a major urban nuisance! I experience it firsthand during my daily commute - that pungent gasoline smell is particularly irritating. The carbon dioxide in exhaust emissions is the most concerning, directly exacerbating global warming. I saw news reports stating glacier melting rates have doubled. Carbon monoxide causes headaches, and inhaling too much during traffic jams is especially unpleasant. Then there are nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, which turn into acid rain when it rains - my balcony's stainless steel clothes rack is covered in rust spots from corrosion. Not to mention those fine particulate matter PM2.5 particles that seep indoors, leaving windows perpetually grimy. Allergy sufferers with rhinitis can barely cope.
My neighbor Lao Li was recently diagnosed with emphysema, and the doctor said it's related to years of exposure to car exhaust. The fine particulate matter in the exhaust can penetrate deep into the alveoli, and when it accumulates, it triggers asthma. Last month, when I took my grandson to the children's hospital, the waiting room was packed with coughing kids. Nowadays, the incidence of respiratory diseases in children is three times higher than it was twenty years ago. The benzene compounds emitted from those tailpipes are also carcinogenic. Our residential area is right next to the ring road, and tests have shown that the concentration of carcinogens here is six times higher than in the suburbs. The old neighborhood has few trees, so the exhaust gets trapped between the buildings and can't disperse. Even the laundry smells like diesel.
