The automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from vehicles add up to a planet-wide problem.  During fossil fuel combustion, impure carbon particles, also called soot, are formed along with other byproducts.  Impure carbon particles contain organic molecules, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and graphitic-like organic structures, in addition to a slew of trace metals, the most predominant of which is iron.  Despite indications that oxidized PAH derivatives and reduced iron species are known to contribute to soot toxicity, not much is known about how these are produced during combustion.  Under simulated conditions, we have found that ferric iron is reduced by the electron-rich black carbon available in graphitic model soot.  These results indicate that the iron-induced toxicity of soot is dependent on the combustion and exhaust conditions of the engine.  Further research will focus on the photochemical control of iron reduction in the presence of black carbon.

Iron in soot: Reactions in the engine tail pipe

241st National Meeting (2011)

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