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north Italy and central Spain. Additionally, the detailed study of the composition of gases in the exhaust emissions de-
same five regions show the highest NO concen- rived from diesel fuel and two different sources of biodiesel fuel clearly
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trations combined with downwards airflow that showed dramatic differences in the amount of NOx in the different fuels.
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prevent an efficient dispersion of air pollution. The authors compared standard diesel fuel with a fuel named B20 that
These results indicate that the long-term expo- contained 20 percent biodiesel (derived primarily from canola, soybean
sure to this pollutant may be one of the most and olive oils) and a second biofuel named P20 that contained 20 percent
important contributors to fatality caused by the biodiesel derived from biomass waste. (The latter, called “pyrolysis oil,”
COVID-19 virus in these regions and maybe can be manufactured from things like corn cobs, wheat stalks, trees,
across the whole world.” The distribution of shrubs and even sewer waste.) Only 6.2 mg/kg of NOx were found in the
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nitrogen oxides in the troposphere over Europe gas derived from diesel fuel, whereas 12 mg/kg were found in the B20
is shown in Figure 3 (reproduced from Figure oil and an astounding 54 mg/kg in the P20 fuel. The study found that
1 in the paper). pyrolysis oil gases also contained much more carbon monoxide than the
A number of studies have compared bio- other fuel sources, with 371 mg/kg of carbon monoxide in P20, compared
diesel fuel with standard diesel for their potential to only 197 mg/kg in B20 and 116 mg/kg in diesel fuel.
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toxic effects on exposed animals. The general There is considerable discussion in the media about the possibility
trend is that biodiesel appears to be significantly that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors—used to treat high
more toxic. In one study, the inflammatory blood pressure (among other conditions)—may be increasing Covid-19
markers granulocyte stimulating factor, inter- risks. This is logical because the virus is said to gain entry via ACE2
feron gamma and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were all receptors, which are upregulated when ACE is inhibited. However,
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expressed at much higher levels in the lungs of another possibility to consider is that ACE inhibitors have been found to
mice exposed to fumes from 30 percent bio- increase production of NOx. A cleverly designed study involved exposing
diesel fuel compared to those exposed to pure isolated coronary microvessels from the left ventricle of the heart of a
diesel fuel. dog to ACE inhibitors and measuring production of NOx and consump-
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The collection of oxides of nitrogen that are tion of oxygen. The researchers found that the drug reduced oxygen
present in air pollution, referred to collectively consumption and increased the production of NOx. Consistently, people
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as NOx, are believed to be a primary compo- suffering from high blood pressure have been found to be at a significant
nent of the toxic elements in air pollution from increased risk to Covid-19.
vehicle exhaust. A number of studies have
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shown that biodiesel fuel derived from the oils of DERANGED HEME OXYGENASE
food crops or from animal fats and other waste A group of Chinese researchers have proposed in a ChemRxiv
oils generally show higher levels of NOx emis- preprint that one of the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 causes oxi-
sions compared to diesel fuel. For example, a dative stress is by binding to and attacking heme in hemoglobin. They
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FIGURE 3. The tropospheric
NO distribution over Europe.
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Source: Ogen Y. Assessing nitrogen
dioxide (NO ) levels as a contrib-
2
uting factor to coronavirus (CO-
VID-19) fatality. Sci Total Environ
2020;726:138605.

34 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2020