A PERSPECTIVE ON THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE LIGHT-DUTY DIESEL VEHICLES

Between 1979 and 1985, an international technical focus was placed upo n potential human health effects associated with exposure to diesel em issions. A substantial data base was developed on the composition of d iesel emissions; the fate of these emissions in the atmosphere; and th e effects of whole particles and their chemical constituents on microo rganisms, cells, and animals. Since that time, a number of significant developments have been made in diesel engine technology that require a new look al the future acceptability of introducing significant numb ers of light-duty diesel automobiles into the European and American ma rkets. Significant engineering improvements have been made in engine d esign, catalysts, and traps. As a result, particle emissions and parti cle associated organic emissions have been reduced by about 10 and 30 times, respectively, during the past 10 years. Research studies to hel p assess the environmental acceptability of these fuel-efficient engin es include the development of an emissions data base for current and a dvanced diesel engines, the effect of diesel emissions on urban ozone formation and atmospheric particle concentrations, the effect of fuel composition, e.g., lower sulfur and additives on emissions, animal inh alation toxicology studies, and fundamental molecular biology studies.