Is it the upholstery? The carpet? That iconic new car smell, to many, is as pleasant as it is difficult to pin down. New research has discovered that delightful aroma can be deceptively dangerous on hot days.
Published in the journal PNAS Nexus, researchers studied volatile organic compounds — chemicals found in the interior of new cars — and their reactions to heat. Tests revealed that, when exposed to temperatures above 77 degrees, new cars emitted high levels of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and hexaldehyde (all VOCs).
All three of these VOCs have pungent smells, are flammable and belong to the reactive chemical group known as aldehyde. Aldehydes are toxic, can affect drivers by touch, inhalation or ingestion, and many are carcinogens.
“Aldehydes are known sensitizers for small populations of humans and serve to cause chemically induced allergic reactions,” according to the hazardous chemical database CAMEO. CAMEO stands for computer-aided management of emergency operations “The effects of these reactions can be dramatic at rather low concentrations. The effects of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde have been well documented because these aldehydes are found in many synthetic products, such as clothing, insulation, and building products. These two aldehydes are also naturally occurring as combustion products (e.g., of forest fires).”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation. They can also cause headaches, nausea, loss of coordination, liver and kidney damage, damage to the central nervous system, cancer and more.
Last year was Earth’s hottest on record, more than 2 degrees warmer than the 20th century average. Georgia, in particular, is in the midst of an especially hot, damp summer.
The average heat wave season today is nearly 50 days longer than it was 60 years ago, and the trend is expected to worsen in the coming years. By 2036, U.S. heat waves could be up to an entire month longer than it is now.
Extreme heat is here to stay, and likely will exacerbate problems in everyday life. Concerning how damaging VOCs in new cars can be to drivers, scientists say more research is still needed.
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