Diesel Fumes Called Carcinogenic

The WHO has upgraded exhaust fumes from diesel engines from a “probable” carcinogen to a toxin that does cause cancer.

| 1 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00
Share

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, ZAKYSANT

Diesel engines not only pollute the environment, they also release carcinogenic fumes, according to a panel of experts working for the International Agency for Research on Cancer at the World Health Organization (WHO). Specifically, the exhaust carries toxins that are “definitely a cause of lung cancer,” BBC News reported, and possibly a cause of bladder tumors as well, warranting the move from “probably carcinogenic” to definitely so.

The panel drew its evidence from research in miners, railway workers, truck drivers, and other “high-risk” workers, though it emphasized that its findings do not apply only to this group of people, but also to those exposed at lower levels of diesel fumes.

“The scientific evidence was compelling and the Working Group's conclusion was unanimous, diesel engine exhaust ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Keywords

Meet the Author

  • Jef Akst

    Jef Akst was managing editor of The Scientist, where she started as an intern in 2009 after receiving a master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses.
Share
May digest 2025 cover
May 2025, Issue 1

Study Confirms Safety of Genetically Modified T Cells

A long-term study of nearly 800 patients demonstrated a strong safety profile for T cells engineered with viral vectors.

View this Issue
iStock

TaqMan Probe & Assays: Unveil What's Possible Together

Thermo Fisher Logo
Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Unchained Labs
Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Bio-Rad
How technology makes PCR instruments easier to use.

Making Real-Time PCR More Straightforward

Thermo Fisher Logo

Products

fujirebio-square-logo

Fujirebio Receives Marketing Clearance for Lumipulse® G pTau 217/ β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio In-Vitro Diagnostic Test

The Scientist Placeholder Image

Biotium Launches New Phalloidin Conjugates with Extended F-actin Staining Stability for Greater Imaging Flexibility

Leica Microsystems Logo

Latest AI software simplifies image analysis and speeds up insights for scientists

BioSkryb Genomics Logo

BioSkryb Genomics and Tecan introduce a single-cell multiomics workflow for sequencing-ready libraries in under ten hours