A new study from a Chinese university has found that “new car smell” – or rather the chemicals that cause it – could lead to an increased risk of cancer.
It turns out that the “new car” smell might be intoxicating beyond the thrill of getting into a new motor vehicle, and explains why the inside of windshields develops a thin film coating (which shows signs of chemical evaporation) as cabin plastics begin to appear. ‘sweat’
While there have been several studies over the years warning about the potential dangers of new car smell, a new report has doubled down on previous findings.
China’s Beijing Institute of Technology has found that chemicals that create “new car smell” could be carcinogenic, which has been supported by scientific industry experts and previous research into the potentially toxic aromas.
Published online in the scientific journal Science Directthe latest study was conducted by a team of scientists in China that looked at the levels of chemicals that evaporate at room temperature, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in a new car.
VOCs can be emitted from leather, plastic and vinyl materials, as well as adhesives, sealants and window cleaners, inside a car.
The risk of chemicals being released can increase as the interior of the car heats up, such as when it has been parked in the sun for an extended period.
Using Chinese safety levels as a reference, the study found that the amount of formaldehyde, a “class 1” carcinogen often found in pressed wood building materials, that evaporated had exceeded the limit suggested in almost 35 percent.
The amount of acetaldehyde, a “class 2” carcinogen that can damage your DNA and prevent it from repairing itself, was also found to be more than 60 times the initial safe levels.
The car, an unnamed mid-size SUV, was parked outside for 12 days and exposed to a variety of real-world weather conditions, rather than the controlled environment of a science lab.
Although the study did not directly address health concerns associated with exposure of car occupants to organic chemicals, the research team said the compounds could continue to evaporate after the period of 12-day trial, which could present long-term risks.
It’s not the first time the smell of a new car has been linked to illness: in 2016, Australian CSIRO researchers found high levels of toxic emissions in new cars for at least six months after they left the showroom. exhibition
It was also found that the level of VOCs emitted was enough to cause drowsiness and lethargy in people who had spent just 10 minutes in a new car, while some toxins have previously been linked to cancer and fetal abnormalities.
In a review of the latest study on Center for scientific mediaOliver Jones, professor of chemistry at Melbourne’s RMIT University, said the latest findings supported previous research into new car smells, although there was no definitive proof that the dose of chemicals that evaporates in tests lead to cancer.
“New car smell is not without its risks: we know from previous research that for some people it can cause health problems such as dizziness, nausea and difficulty breathing,” Jones said. “From a health standpoint, the best new car smell is probably no smell at all.”
“Many of these compounds are listed as carcinogens, but so are sunlight and alcohol. It’s the dose that makes the poison – just because something is there doesn’t automatically mean it’s a problem; it’s about quantity (even water is toxic if you drink enough of it).
“The current paper focuses on ways to better model how much of the chemicals that cause new car odor can be released over time in a car under different conditions.”
Jones also praised the team of scientists for adopting a new and more precise research method, which could influence future studies.
“This is a detailed study that appears to have been conducted thoroughly, in a real-world setting rather than a laboratory,” Jones said.
“The authors created a predictive model of the release of the chemicals that cause new car smell and then tested the predictions with measured concentrations.
“The fact that higher temperatures increase the rate of outgassing from materials is not new, but what is interesting here is that the authors use the surface temperature of the materials to predict how much compost could be released with the passage of of time rather than more.common metric of cabin air temperature.
“This makes sense when you think about how hot the seats and steering wheel can get on a hot summer’s day, especially in places like Australia. A more accurate model gives us a better idea of the likely levels of potentially harmful chemicals over the of the weather and that gives us a better idea of the risks, which can only be a good thing for drivers.”
As previously reported, car manufacturers are trying to reduce odors from new cars due to fears that occupants are being exposed to health risks.
In 2018, Ford filed a patent for an automated method of removing odors from new cars, which would “skin” the car and release VOCs to reduce odors, although the auto giant has not yet ‘has implemented
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