We all love that “new car smell” that greets us when we step into a freshly manufactured vehicle.
However, researchers have found that this pleasant aroma can turn toxic on hot summer days.
A recent study revealed that the chemicals responsible for this smell, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can reach harmful levels when temperatures rise.
VOCs come from materials inside the car like carpets, upholstery, and other interior parts.
These chemicals can cause a range of health issues, including headaches, eye, nose, and throat irritation, fatigue, irritability, dry cough, lung disease, and even disorientation.
Researchers Jianyin Xiong, Shaodan Huang, and their team decided to measure the levels of VOCs inside new cars on particularly hot summer days.
They chose this focus because global warming is leading to higher summer temperatures worldwide.
Their data, gathered on days with outside temperatures ranging from 25.3°C to 46.1°C (77.5°F to 115°F), showed worrisome levels of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and hexaldehyde inside the cars.
The study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, highlights that the Chinese national safety limit for formaldehyde in car cabins is 100 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3).
Shockingly, the levels in the tested car sometimes exceeded 200 μg/m3. Similarly, while the limit for acetaldehyde is 50 μg/m3, levels inside the car could reach up to 140 μg/m3.
Using a machine learning model, the researchers found that the temperature of the materials’ surfaces inside the car was the main factor affecting VOC levels.
They developed a deep learning model that could predict the concentrations of 12 common VOCs in car cabins.
According to the authors, this model could be used to forecast VOC levels and assess exposure risks. It could also be integrated with the control systems of smart cars to help manage and reduce VOC concentrations inside the cabin, making car rides safer, especially on hot days.
So next time you enjoy that new car smell, remember it might not be as harmless as it seems, especially during those scorching summer months.
