High levels of chemicals, two linked to causing cancer, were found while testing the air quality inside new cars, a study published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science said Wednesday.
“Results from the new cars showed that formaldehyde, a chemical compound that the US Environmental Protection Agency says could cause cancer, was detected at levels 34.9% higher than China’s national safety standards,” he said. report USA Today.
The article added: “Acetaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen, was found to be at levels 60.5% higher than Chinese national safety standards.”
Details of the study
The study said scientists from Harvard University and the Beijing Institute of Technology in China conducted a 12-day experiment, parking a new car outside and testing it under different environmental conditions.
The researchers used sensors in the car to monitor concentrations of 20 different chemicals in the air. According to the study, they looked at other factors such as air temperature inside and outside the cabin and relative humidity.
The study’s authors said spending 30 minutes in a car each day can be enough exposure to put people “at risk of exceeding safety standards,” according to the New York Post.
Investigators monitored many materials inside the car, including the dashboard, car seat, car carpet, car roof, and car door interior trim panel.
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are volatile organic compounds, defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as chemicals that evaporate easily and contain carbon atoms.
The American Cancer Society said formaldehyde “is a common colorless, strong-smelling chemical that is a gas at room temperature,” linked to causing cancer.
Natural for the environment, the website said the chemical can be found in:
- tails
- Plywood
- Fiber board.
- Coatings of paper products.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, acetaldehyde can also cause cancer.
The CDC said, “When you drink alcohol, your body breaks it down into a chemical called acetaldehyde Acetaldehyde damages your DNA and prevents your body from repairing the damage,” which could cause a cell to grow out of control, a prerequisite for a cancerous tumor.
Since there are at least six cancers linked to alcohol consumption, the CDC said you can reduce your cancer risk by drinking less.
