What Are the Hazards of Inhaling Vehicle Exhaust Daily?
2 Answers
Vehicle exhaust contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other solid particles that adversely affect human health. Here is a detailed introduction: 1. Vehicle Exhaust: Gasoline primarily consists of carbon and hydrogen. When gasoline burns normally, it produces carbon dioxide, water vapor, and excess oxygen, among other substances. However, due to impurities and additives in the fuel, as well as incomplete combustion, harmful substances are often emitted. 2. Hazards of Exhaust: Carbon monoxide hinders blood absorption and oxygen delivery in the human body, affecting hematopoietic function and potentially triggering conditions such as angina and coronary heart disease at any time. Hydrocarbons can form highly toxic photochemical smog, harm human health, and produce carcinogenic substances.
Daily exposure to vehicle exhaust has significant health impacts. Living downtown, I constantly smell the fumes during rush hour traffic. Those black emissions mainly contain carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter – the former interferes with blood oxygen transport, sometimes causing dizziness and chest tightness, while the latter can trigger coughing or breathing difficulties when inhaled into lungs. Chronic exposure increases risks of asthma and bronchitis, particularly dangerous for elderly and children, and may even contribute to heart disease or certain cancers. Worse still, exhaust emissions worsen air pollution, degrading urban air quality. I've switched to public transit or cycling to protect myself and reduce emissions. Avoiding peak travel hours can help minimize exposure risks.