The Most Common Carcinogens To Know & Avoid

Engine Exhaust

Engine exhaust, particularly diesel exhaust, is known to be a carcinogenic substance when an individual is exposed to it regularly over long periods. Diesel is a form of fuel that is a derivative of crude oil and is used in large engines like buses, trains, trucks, farm equipment, ships, construction equipment, some cars, and generators. Soot particles and certain gases make up the exhaust that comes from the aforementioned engines fueled by diesel. These gases include substances such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, sulfur oxides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Metallic compounds, carbon, and other organic materials are the types of particles contained in the soot of diesel exhaust. The most common type of cancer known to be associated with consistent and frequent exposure to diesel exhaust is a malignancy of the lung. Miners, truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and railroad workers are at the highest risk of lung cancer development from diesel exhaust exposure. Diesel exhaust causes cancer by damaging the DNA in the cells that make up the lining of the lungs.