Assessment of toxic potential of primary and secondary particulates/aerosols from biodiesel vis-à-vis mineral diesel fuelled engine

Abstract

Toxicity of engine out emissions from primary and secondary aerosols has been a major cause of concern for human health and environmental impact. This study aims to evaluate comparative toxicity of nanoparticles emitted from a modern common rail direct injection engine (CRDI) fuelled with biodiesel blend (B20) vis-à-vis mineral diesel. The toxicity and potential health hazards of exhaust particles were assessed using various parameters such as nanoparticle size and number distribution, surface area distribution, elemental and organic carbon content and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed onto the particle surfaces, followed by toxic equivalent factor assessment. It was found that biodiesel particulate toxicity was considerably lower in comparison to mineral diesel.

The effect of oxygen content in soapnut biodiesel-diesel blends on performance of a diesel engine

“…Both shorter ignition delay and better atomization were responsible for complete combustion and reduced HC emissions. It was also observed that at oxygen percentages higher than 2.37% (blend number [13][14][15][16][17][18], HC emissions were better than those of other fuel blends, with fuel blend number 18 showing the lowest HC emission.…”

“…Besides that, biodiesel has a lower aromatic compound content, contains 10%-12% oxygen by weight, and is free of sulphur content. Due to the presence of oxygen, a higher degree of oxidation of incompletely burned hydrocarbons, which are generated during combustion, is achieved [16,17]. This leads to lower carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and particulate matter (PM) emissions with biodiesel fuel.…”

Particulate emissions from biodiesel fuelled CI engines

“…The concentration of the above compounds reduced significantly in the 2007 model engine. In another study, Agarwal et al [6] evaluated comparative toxicity of nano-particles emitted from diesel and B20 fuelled engine. OC, EC content of the particulates was determined for primary and secondary emissions from diesel and B20 fuelled engine.…”

“…Monocyclic aromatics of primary diesel exhaust reacts with OH radicals and form various aromatic compounds such as phenols, glyoxal, quinones, nitro-PAHs, and aromatic aldehydes. Agarwal et al [6] compared the toxic potential of diesel and biodiesel (B20) for primary and secondary emissions. By measuring particulate size-number distribution, size-surface area distribution, EC/OC content, particle bound PAHs, and toxic equivalent factor, toxicity and potential health hazards of these emissions were assessed.…”

“…In order to effectively control environmental pollution and mitigate its harmful effects, exhaust characterization at the engine outlet as well as its transformational products in the atmosphere is essential [1]. Health effects of exhaust particulates depend on their chemical composition and physical characteristics, which determine their true residence time and availability as sorption sites inside the human respiratory system [2][3][4][5][6].…”