Determination of hazards and methods of elimination of pollutants from diesel exhaust. Within the project: Process engineering for the abatement of harmful and greenhouse gas emissions and their utilization

Aim of project
The project focuses on theoretical and experimental analysis of the danger of diesel emissions (passenger cars, buses, trucks, railway transportation, ships, etc.) in their interactions with the human body. Such results will lead to concepts of reduction of harmful aerosol emission. Soot particles emitted from diesel engines are composed of 5–80 nm nanoparticles which form fractal-like structures with the size range 10–2–10 μm. Due to their porosity, they carry volatile organic compounds (VOCs), among them carcinogenic PAHs and nitro-PAHs. The efficiency of removal of nanostructured aerosol aggregates in fi - brous filters, which are used, e.g., in personal protection masks, air-conditioning and ventilation systems, exhaust gas separators, etc., may be significantly lower than the one of the best recognized spherical-like particles. Therefore, the aim of this project is theoretical and experimental investigation of transport and separation of fractal-like nanostructured particles in fi brous filters. Probably, such particles also more easily penetrate the respiratory system, going down to the alveolar region, where they directly interact with the lung tissue. Therefore, the second aim of the project is the analysis of transport and deposition of such particles in the respiratory tract by theoretical modeling (CFD) and in vitro experiments. In addition, measurements of direct physicochemical interactions between aerosol particles and the lung surfactant constituents will be made under simulated physiological conditions.

Expected results
The comprehensive analysis of the problem of diesel exhaust behavior in filtering structures and in the human body will lead to practical conclusions for design and optimization of filters for removal of fractal-like aerosol aggregates which are carriers of harmful VOCs.