British Rail Class 55 Deltic diesel locomotive with their characteristic dense exhaust when starting a train.
Diesel exhaust is the exhaust gas produced by a diesel engine, plus any contained particulates. Its composition may vary with the fuel type, rate of consumption or speed of engine operation (e.g., idling or at speed or under load), and whether the engine is in an on-road vehicle, farm vehicle, locomotive, marine vessel, or stationary generator or other application.[1]
Diesel exhaust causes lung cancer and other diseases such as asthma, and many premature deaths.[2][3][4] Methods exist to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) in the exhaust.
^Lippmann, Morton, ed. (2009). Environmental Toxicants(PDF). pp. 553, 555, 556, 562. doi:10.1002/9780470442890. ISBN9780470442890. composition can vary markedly with fuel composition, engine type, operating conditions ... combustion of petroleum fuel produces primarily carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen ... The health risks lie in the small, invisible or poorly visible particles ... carbon (EC) core of diesel soot ... serves as a nucleus for condensation of organic compounds from unburned or incompletely burned fuel ... it still appears that nitrated PAHs are the most predominant bacterial mutagens