Question

Why should lead-free petrol or diesel be used in automobiles?

Answer 1

Hint: Air pollution is the occurrence or presence of any material or gas in the air in such a concentration which is harmful to animals, vegetation, and their environment.

Complete answer:
Lead (tetraethyllead) mixed with petrol and diesel increases vehicle performance and fuel economy. Apart from causing air pollution lead is highly toxic and is known to induce severe lead poisoning. Pollutants from auto-mobile, locomotives, aircraft in cities constitute the major part of the total air pollution. Air pollution is both natural and anthropogenic. Anthropogenic pollution comes from both mobile and fixed sources.
The exposure pathways to lead includes:
- Inhaling lead particles in airborne emissions from automobiles
- Lead also lead to contaminated soil
- Ingesting dust through normal hand to mouth activity also causes lead exposure
- Eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water.
- Lead easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and accumulates inside the brain. Chronic exposure to lead can also cause long time negative effects like memory loss, insomnia, loss of attention, etc.
-Lead related pollution also causes cardiovascular problems in adults even with low levels of exposure, it also has been linked to elevated blood pressure causing hypertension, heart attacks, and premature deaths.
- Lead has also been proven to be carcinogens and causing birth defects.
- Concerns over this toxicity of lead eventually led to the ban on lead-based gasoline (petrol and diesel) in some countries.
Thus, we should use lead-free petrol and diesel keeping all these harmful and ill effects of lead.

Note: Proper maintenance of automobiles with the use of lead-free petrol or diesel can reduce pollutants they emit. Automobiles fitted with catalytic converters are used to prevent air pollution. It is recommended not to use leaded petrol or diesel because lead inactivates the catalyst of the converter.