The cardiovascular system of human beings can be affected by diesel fumes, according to Dr. Russell V. Luepker of the University of Minnesota. Healthy volunteers were exposed to diesel fumes which resulted in arteries losing a part of their capacity to expand, while blood displayed a greater chance of clotting. A research with regard to this was conducted by researchers belonging to the University of Edinburgh.
The subjects of the research were exposed to an idling diesel engine or filtered air, after which vasodilators injections were administered to them, and clotting levels were measured using their blood samples. After the exposure to the diesel fumes, there was a reduced level of response by the subjects to the vasodilators, while normal clotting ability was also altered. A voluntary program is being sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for fitting devices in diesel-powered vehicles for trapping the fine particles from exhaust fumes. The fumes are capable of triggering cardiovascular problems and heart attacks. The pollutants from diesel engines generate more pollutant particles than petrol driven engines. So this may not be applicable to petrol vehicles also.There has also been a higher incidence of heart related problems with rising pollution levels. The fine-particle pollutants are particularly responsible for this. Repeated and long-term exposure to such pollutants may result in coronary heart disease, heart failure, and abnormal heart rhythms. The number of diesel powered vehicles are on the rise across the world, the polluting capacity of which are 100 times more than that of petrol driven engines.
