Soot contains harmful chemicals. Soot is what makes acid rain and smog.
While I agree that soot contains harmful chemicals, and probably contribute a bit to smog, there is no way it is the cause of acid rain. Acid rain is caused by NOx and SOx emissions. These chemicals remain airborne and combine with water vapor reacting to generate nitric and sulfuric acids.
And for my next assertion with no link to back it up.....Take it for what you will....
During the big north east blackout a few years ago satellite and other monitoring showed that most of the pollution over the NE and western Atlantic vanished. People were still driving around, but the power industry was closed as was much of the other heavy industry.
FWIW I think diesel will be having some trouble with sales till the US tech and fuel gets up to the standards they have in Europe.
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