Diesel engine exhaust, measured as elemental carbon. Documentation of proposed values of occupational exposure limits (OELs)
Authors: Szymańska Jadwiga , Frydrych Barbara , Bruchajzer Elżbieta 
Published: December 2019

Exhaust emissions from diesel engines (SESD) are multi-component mixtures of chemical compounds resulting from incomplete combustion of fuel and engine oil. The toxic effect of exhaust gases is associated with the presence of toxic and carcinogenic compounds in them. GIS reports in 2019 that the number of employees employed in conditions constituting 0.1– 0.5 of MAC-TWA (applicable for exhaust emissions from diesel engines) in 2017 and in 2018 was 1071 and 986, respectively, while in conditions 0 , 5–1 MAC-TWA were 26 and 46, respectively. In the list of occupational diseases in the years 2013–2017, two cancers were registered: one bladder and one larynx (exposure to PAHs present in exhaust gases). In the clinical picture of acute exhaust poisoning, irritant effects on the mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract predominate. Eye conjunctival irritation is considered to be one of the most sensitive indicators of exhaust gas exposure. Chronic poisoning is usually seen in people who have been exposed to work for at least several years. Functional and morphological changes in the respiratory system dominate. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of exhaust gases has resulted in: accumulation of solid particles in macrophages, changes in lung cells, fibrosis and epithelial metaplasia. Exposure to exhaust fumes can exacerbate the symptoms of existing diseases, e.g. asthma, allergies. The results of epidemiological studies indicate a relationship between occupational exposure to exhaust gas emitted from diesel engines and the increased incidence of certain groups of cancers, mainly lung cancer and bladder cancer. Studies conducted on laboratory animals have shown that exposure to exhaust fumes emitted from diesel engines caused disorders of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous and immune systems. Mutagenicity tests showed positive responses in several Salmonella strains. Animal studies (prenatal and adult exposure) suggest that exposure to exhaust gas may affect male fertility. Annex III of Directive (EU) 2019/130 of the European Parliament and of the Council contains occupational exposure limit values amending Directive 2004/37 / EC. For exhaust emissions from diesel engines for an 8-hour working day, this value was set at 0.05 mg/m3 (measured as elemental carbon). After 1–2 hours of human inhalation exposure to concentrations of 75–225 µg/m3 (as elemental carbon), a decrease in respiratory function parameters and the occurrence of inflammatory changes in the lungs were observed. There is insufficient data on occupational exposure to exhaust emissions from new generation diesel engines. Therefore, it was proposed to adopt as the MAC-TWA value for exhaust emissions from diesel engines a concentration of 0.05 mg/m3 (measured as elemental carbon) included in the Directive 2019/130, without setting STEL and TLV-C. This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.