Abstract
Abstract
Air pollution caused by diesel engine emissions, especially particulate matters PM and nitric oxides NOx emissions, is one of the bigest problems of current transportation. In the near future the emission of diesel particulate matters will become one of the most important factors that will affect the trend of engine development. Ambient airborne particles have adverse environmental and health effects and therefore their concentration in the air is regulated. Recent medical studies showed that different particle properties are important (for example: number/concentration, active surface, chemical composition/ morphology) and may take role in the responsibility for their human health impact. Thus, diesel engines are one of the most important sources of particles in the atmosphere, especially in urban areas. Studying health effects and diesel engine particulate properties, it has been concluded that they are a complex mixture of solids and liquids. Biological activity of particulate matter may berelated to particle sizes, their number and composition. A number of epidemiological studies have concluded that exposure to particle matter may cause increased morbidity and mortality, as well as cardiovascular disease. Long term exposure to diesel engine exhaust is also associated with relative risk to lung cancer.Keywords: particulate matter, number concentration, health impact, characterization, diesel engine emission