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Motor vehicle exhaust is the major cause to the air contamination in Seoul. It includes many toxic chemicals to human health such as aidehyde, PAHs, benzene, xylene, toluene, benzo[a]pyrene, nickel, arsenic and cadmium in gasoline exhaust and formaldehyde, PAHs, 1,3-butadiene, benzene and particulate matter in diesel exhaust. Some chemicals out of them are classified as a human carcinogen. Many large diesel vehicles such as buses and trucks are drivened frequently in Seoul so that the air in Seoul is seriously contaminated by diesel exhaust, especially particulate matter. The amounts of particulate matter from large diesel vehicles may be estimated to be more than 50% of small dust in Seoul. The particles of particulate matter are coated with many toxic chemicals and some of these are considered as a human carcinogen. The cancer risk has to be throughly managed because the population density of Seoul is very high. Government should list hazardous air pollutants in Seoul, assess the exposure of people to toxic pollutants, especially carcinogens and manage human health risk.
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