<p>Yes almost definitely. Its not just gas, but additives, lubricants/oils, coatings, coolant (some of which leaks into the combustion chamber) etc. The full list of known carcinogens is available <a href="http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens" rel="nofollow">here</a>. </p>

<p>Also see the EPA report <a href="http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/02-toxic.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a> which says ... </p>

<p>"EPA estimates that mobile (car, truck, and bus) sources of air toxics account for as much as half of all cancers attributed to outdoor sources of air toxics. This estimate is not based on actual cancer cases, but on models that predict the maximum number of cancers that could be expected from current levels of
exposure to mobile source emissions."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-15T10:59:35.087Z
Even though this was closed  the user 'stall' gave some very useful information.
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-18T15:03:10.160Z
User stali pointed out some very interesting articles.
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-03T23:04:25.220Z
2015-08-03T23:04:25.220Z
stali
<p>Can some of the gaseous chemicals in many of the car exhaust by-products of the combustion engine be carcinogenic or cancer-causing?. Could car exhaust behave in a ways that are similar to 'second' hand smoke' from cigarettes that is known to cause many health problems? Can such pollution always be cleaned up or at least 'filtered out'? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-05T20:25:08.650Z
So length of exposure and PM concentration from cars say from sitting in traffic for a long time or even walking in a busy downtown area might be comparable to a concentration of second hand smoke in a bar  ,say.
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-03T15:42:09.390Z
If the general public was aware that length of exposure and PM concentration from cars sitting a long time in traffic or being in a downtown area with lots of smog is comparable to the concentration of second hand smoke in a tavern and may cause health problems I wonder if they would be so eager to buy gas powered cars?
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-20T20:30:20.250Z
If you want this reopened you are going to have to narrow down what you are asking and keep it related to the Earth Science part.  If you have more than one question you should probably ask them in separate posts.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-29T22:49:37.417Z
Emissions controls are a standard part of every vehicle produced. Yes vehicle exhaust has carcinogens in it... the mix of which is highly dependent on the vehicle type and fuel type used. As you increase the number of emissions controls, the efficiency goes down, so  manufacturers only put on what they have to in order to meet regulatory goals.  Different pollutant  classes (e.g. nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, particulates) have different associated control technologies.  I still think this question is too broad and you don't seem to be interested in Earth Science.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-02T12:10:42.717Z
That's all I was wondering , If car exhaust has carcinogens in it and is like second hand smoke. Interesting and useful information.
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-03T02:42:29.960Z
second hand smoke is made up of a lot of particulates, which are screened with modern exhaust systems.  Second hand smoke from cigarettes have a variety of exotic compounds due to all the additives in cigarettes.  Typically a clean-burning fuel like a high-octane gasoline can burn with very low emissions, though of course you still have all the CO and CO2 emissions, whose ratio highly depends on the temperature of the engine.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T20:52:43.797Z
A lot of people drive older cars that do not necessarily follow low emission standards. A lot of people do not use high octane gas or are not necessarily vigilante  about not polluting. But since places with a great deal of  car exhaust like China ( recently) had warning to people about their pollution levels and many of them getting lung problems one might say car exhaust is similar to second hand smoke.
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T20:55:12.473Z
No it's not really similar at all.  The material you burn determines the emitted species.  Fossil fuel has a far different composition than tobacco with additives.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T21:04:50.570Z
Well if not similar do they act in similar ways or cause similar effects like lung cancer?
201044
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T22:18:26.477Z
Lung cancer is normally due to long-term exposure to particulate matter.  If  ambient air (or enclosed air, if that is your environment) has annual averages over something like 15 ug/m3, your probability of cancer increases, and continues to do so with higher concentrations.  You need to look at epidemiological studies to get the exact numbers.  Yes, the particulates from uncontrolled combustion (any combustion... not just cars) can cause lung cancer.  The real variables of interest are the length of exposure and avg PM concentration.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T22:19:55.577Z
Important to consider that each pollutant has a different effect on health, and lung cancer is a specific disease related to PM exposure.  Other pollutants have different relationships to health.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-18T15:00:19.853Z
I edited the question already. How can I word the question so it is acceptable?
201044
<pollution><environmental-protection>
Regarding car exhaust and its possible carcinogenic effects
201044
# Regarding car exhaust and its possible carcinogenic effects

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-03)

Can some of the gaseous chemicals in many of the car exhaust by-products of the combustion engine be carcinogenic or cancer-causing?. Could car exhaust behave in a ways that are similar to 'second' hand smoke' from cigarettes that is known to cause many health problems? Can such pollution always be cleaned up or at least 'filtered out'?

**Tags:** pollution, environmental-protection

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I edited the question already. How can I word the question so it is acceptable?  
> **username_1**: If you want this reopened you are going to have to narrow down what you are asking and keep it related to the Earth Science part.  If you have more than one question you should probably ask them in separate posts.  
> **username_1**: Emissions controls are a standard part of every vehicle produced. Yes vehicle exhaust has carcinogens in it... the mix of which is highly dependent on the vehicle type and fuel type used. As you increase the number of emissions controls, the efficiency goes down, so  manufacturers only put on what they have to in order to meet regulatory goals.  Different pollutant  classes (e.g. nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, particulates) have different associated control technologies.  I still think this question is too broad and you don't seem to be interested in Earth Science.  
> **username_0**: That's all I was wondering , If car exhaust has carcinogens in it and is like second hand smoke. Interesting and useful information.  
> **username_1**: second hand smoke is made up of a lot of particulates, which are screened with modern exhaust systems.  Second hand smoke from cigarettes have a variety of exotic compounds due to all the additives in cigarettes.  Typically a clean-burning fuel like a high-octane gasoline can burn with very low emissions, though of course you still have all the CO and CO2 emissions, whose ratio highly depends on the temperature of the engine.  
> **username_0**: A lot of people drive older cars that do not necessarily follow low emission standards. A lot of people do not use high octane gas or are not necessarily vigilante  about not polluting. But since places with a great deal of  car exhaust like China ( recently) had warning to people about their pollution levels and many of them getting lung problems one might say car exhaust is similar to second hand smoke.  
> **username_1**: No it's not really similar at all.  The material you burn determines the emitted species.  Fossil fuel has a far different composition than tobacco with additives.  
> **username_0**: Well if not similar do they act in similar ways or cause similar effects like lung cancer?  
> **username_1**: Lung cancer is normally due to long-term exposure to particulate matter.  If  ambient air (or enclosed air, if that is your environment) has annual averages over something like 15 ug/m3, your probability of cancer increases, and continues to do so with higher concentrations.  You need to look at epidemiological studies to get the exact numbers.  Yes, the particulates from uncontrolled combustion (any combustion... not just cars) can cause lung cancer.  The real variables of interest are the length of exposure and avg PM concentration.  
> **username_1**: Important to consider that each pollutant has a different effect on health, and lung cancer is a specific disease related to PM exposure.  Other pollutants have different relationships to health.  
> **username_0**: So length of exposure and PM concentration from cars say from sitting in traffic for a long time or even walking in a busy downtown area might be comparable to a concentration of second hand smoke in a bar  ,say.  
> **username_0**: If the general public was aware that length of exposure and PM concentration from cars sitting a long time in traffic or being in a downtown area with lots of smog is comparable to the concentration of second hand smoke in a tavern and may cause health problems I wonder if they would be so eager to buy gas powered cars?  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Yes almost definitely. Its not just gas, but additives, lubricants/oils, coatings, coolant (some of which leaks into the combustion chamber) etc. The full list of known carcinogens is available [here](http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens).

Also see the EPA report [here](http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/02-toxic.pdf) which says ...

"EPA estimates that mobile (car, truck, and bus) sources of air toxics account for as much as half of all cancers attributed to outdoor sources of air toxics. This estimate is not based on actual cancer cases, but on models that predict the maximum number of cancers that could be expected from current levels of
exposure to mobile source emissions."

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Even though this was closed  the user 'stall' gave some very useful information.  
> **username_0**: User username_2 pointed out some very interesting articles.  

---

