Helena Joyce
Cars are a major contributor to air pollution, releasing harmful pollutants into the atmosphere and causing significant risks to human health and the environment. Burning gasoline and diesel fuel creates harmful byproducts such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter. Additionally, vehicles emit carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas produced by motor vehicles, which contributes to climate change. The transportation sector is responsible for a significant portion of total emissions, and the growing popularity of fuel-inefficient vehicles and increased driving distances further exacerbate the problem. However, individuals can play a role in reducing car pollution by opting for more fuel-efficient vehicles, driving less, and exploring alternative modes of transportation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | 8,887 grams of CO2 per gallon of gasoline |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | 400 grams of CO2 per mile |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | 4.6 metric tons of CO2 per year |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | 181 grams of CO2 per kilometre |
| Methane (CH4) | |
| Nitrous oxide (N2O) | |
| Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) | |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | |
| Particulate matter (PM) | |
| Ultrafine particles (UFP) | |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | |
| Benzene | |
| Acrolein | |
| Phthalates | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) |
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What You'll Learn
Carbon dioxide
The amount of CO2 emitted by a car depends on several factors, including the vehicle's fuel, fuel economy, and the number of miles driven. The type of fuel used also affects CO2 emissions, with gasoline-powered vehicles generally emitting more CO2 than diesel-powered vehicles. In addition, the production and disposal of a car can also contribute to its overall CO2 emissions.
To reduce CO2 emissions from cars, individuals can choose more fuel-efficient vehicles, drive less, and adopt alternative modes of transportation such as carpooling, public transportation, cycling, or walking. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional gasoline-powered cars, as they do not produce tailpipe emissions. However, EVs do emit a small amount of greenhouse gases due to air conditioner leakage.
On a broader scale, the EU has introduced new CO2 emission targets, aiming for zero emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles by 2035. These targets are part of the European Green Deal roadmap, which seeks to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. While reducing CO2 emissions from transport won't be easy, given the sector's increasing emissions over the past three decades, individual actions and policy changes can collectively make a significant impact.
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Nitrogen dioxide
NO2 is a significant component of vehicle exhaust emissions, particularly from diesel engines. The use of emission control technologies, such as Diesel Oxidation Catalysts, has helped reduce NO2 emissions from diesel vehicles. However, the direct emission of NO2 from road vehicle exhaust has been a crucial factor in the high near-road ambient concentrations of NO2 in many European cities.
In addition to its impact on human health, NO2 also affects the environment. It is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. NO2 can remain in the atmosphere for several days and can be transported over long distances. Once in the atmosphere, it reacts with other chemicals to form fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone, which can affect air quality and visibility.
Regulations and technological advancements have been implemented to reduce NO2 emissions from vehicles. The Euro emissions standards, introduced in 1992, have played a crucial role in lowering nitrogen oxide emissions. These standards dictate the maximum allowable emissions for vehicles and have led to an 84% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions since 2001. Additionally, the adoption of cleaner fuel types, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, has helped decrease NO2 emissions and improve air quality.
While progress has been made in reducing NO2 emissions, there is still a need for continuous improvement. By enforcing stricter regulations, encouraging the development of cleaner technologies, and promoting sustainable transportation options, we can further mitigate the impact of nitrogen dioxide emissions on our health and the environment.
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Carbon monoxide
Gas-powered automobile engines can quickly produce high concentrations of carbon monoxide, which can be lethal. Hundreds of people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a running vehicle, often in a closed garage. Other deaths or illnesses have occurred in homes with attached garages, while stranded in cars, or while driving or riding in a vehicle with a defective exhaust system.
Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen to the body's organs. Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include throbbing headaches, disorientation, drowsiness, followed by unconsciousness, convulsions, and eventually death.
To limit carbon monoxide exposure, it is recommended to avoid driving with the trunk or liftgate open and to repair any rust holes, especially those under the vehicle. It is also advised not to run the engine in a garage or other enclosed space and to install a carbon monoxide monitor to detect any exhaust vapours inside the vehicle.
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Hydrocarbons
In addition to their role in ozone formation, hydrocarbons can also exist as particulate matter (PM). Fine particles, often less than one-tenth of the diameter of a human hair, can penetrate deep into the lungs and pose a serious health risk. These particles can be released directly from car exhausts or formed as secondary pollutants through interactions with other emissions.
The combustion of gasoline in car engines is a significant source of hydrocarbon emissions. The annual average concentration of total VOCs emitted from gasoline-fuelled vehicles was found to be 34.65 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) in a study. Alkanes were the most abundant species within these emissions, accounting for approximately 46% of total VOCs. Propane, ethane, and ethene were identified as the most common alkanes in vehicle exhaust.
Furthermore, vehicle exhaust emissions were shown to significantly influence VOC levels. In urban areas, vehicular emissions contributed to approximately 65% of ambient NMVOC levels, while in suburban areas, they accounted for around 50-53%. These findings highlight the substantial impact of hydrocarbon emissions from cars on local air quality.
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Methane
Cars that run on gasoline emit methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas, from their tailpipes. It is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, which is the main greenhouse gas emitted by vehicles. This means that methane is more effective at trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere. However, methane's concentration in the atmosphere is much lower than that of carbon dioxide. The contribution of methane emissions from vehicles to radiative forcing of climate change is 0.3-0.4% of that of carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has compared the warming effects of different gases in terms of global warming potential (GWP), a measure of the energy that a ton of one gas will absorb over a given period relative to the energy absorbed by a ton of carbon dioxide in the same period. The GWP of methane is 27 to 30 over 100 years, while the GWP of carbon dioxide is 1 by definition.
According to a study that used a standard driving cycle for 30 different cars and trucks from four different manufacturers, the global vehicle fleet emits 0.45 +/- 0.12 Tg of CH4 per year, which represents <0.2% of anthropogenic CH4 emissions. This estimate includes the effects of vehicle aging, cold starts, and hot-running emissions.
While methane emissions from vehicles are negligible compared to other sources, they still contribute to the overall methane concentration in the atmosphere, which is a concern due to methane's high GWP.
To put methane emissions from cars into perspective, it is worth comparing them to those from cows. Cows produce methane through digestion, releasing it in burps, flatulence, and waste. It has been estimated that a single cow emits between 154 and 264 pounds of methane per year, with a global total of over 156 million tons. In contrast, the yearly emission of carbon dioxide by cars is 4.6 billion tons. Despite the lower GWP of carbon dioxide, cars emit a much higher amount, resulting in a more significant impact on global warming.
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Frequently asked questions
Cars release a range of pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, formaldehyde, methane, and particulate matter.
There are two main types of emissions from cars: greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutant emissions.
Cars release pollutants through the burning of gasoline or diesel fuel, which creates harmful byproducts that are emitted through the vehicle's exhaust system.
