Gasoline and Diesel Fuels
- Gasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture which is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. Diesel fuel is any liquid fuel used in diesel engines. These and other fuels will be used on the cleanup and can add to worker hazards.
- Many of the non-aliphatic hydrocarbons (like Hexane) naturally present in gasoline and diesel fuels may be a neurotoxicant or carcinogenic.
- Brief inhalation of Hexane and similar substances is dangerous because it can produce many of the effects of alcohol intoxication and, sometimes, a hallucinogen-like "trip."
- Diesel combustion exhaust contains hazardous gases and particles which can be harmful if inhaled.
Gasoline and diesel exhaust fumes can be very harmful.
Diesel Combustion Exhaust
- The largest components of most combustion gases is nitrogen (N2), water vapor (H2O), and carbon dioxide(CO2).
- Relatively small components of it are noxious or toxic substances, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NOx), Ozone(O3), partly unburnt fuel, and particulate matter.
- Workers may be exposed to diesel combustion exhaust from working near diesel powered generators.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
4-5. According to the text, why is it dangerous to inhale or "sniff" gasoline?
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