Study links new-car smell to higher risk of cancer

A new study from a Chinese university has found ‘new-car smell’ – or rather the chemicals which cause it – could lead to a higher risk of cancer.

It turns out ‘new-car’ smell could be intoxicating beyond the excitement of getting into a brand-new motor vehicle – and explains why the inside of windscreens develop a thin film coating (showing signs of chemical evaporation) as the cabin plastics begin to ‘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 the earlier findings.

China’s Beijing Institute of Technology has found the chemicals which create ‘new-car smell’ could be carcinogenic, which has been supported by science industry experts and previous research into the potentially toxic aromas.

Published online in the scientific journal Science Direct, the latest study was conducted by a team of scientists in China who analysed the levels of chemicals which evaporate at room temperature – known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – in a new car.

The VOCs can be given off by leather, plastic and vinyl materials – as well as adhesives, sealants and glass cleaners – in a car’s interior.

The risk of the chemicals being released can increase as the car interior gets hotter, such as when it has been parked in the sun for an extended period.

Using Chinese safety levels as a baseline, the study found the amount of formaldehyde – a ‘Class 1’ carcinogen often found in pressed-wood building materials – which evaporated had exceeded the suggested limit by almost 35 per cent.

The amount of acetaldehyde – a ‘Class 2’ carcinogen which can damage your DNA and prevent it from being repaired – was also found to be more than 60 times higher than baseline safety levels.

The car – an unnamed medium-sized 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. 

While the study did not directly address the health concerns associated with a car’s occupants being exposed to the organic chemicals, the research team said the compounds could continue to evaporate after the 12-day test period – potentially presenting long-term risks.

It’s not the first time new-car smell 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.

The level of VOCs emitted were also found to be enough to cause drowsiness and lethargy in people who had spent only 10 minutes in a new car, while certain toxins had previously been linked to cancer and foetal abnormalities.

In a review of the latest study on Science Media Centre, Oliver Jones – Professor of Chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne – said the latest findings backed up previous research into new car smells, though there is no definitive proof the dosage of chemicals which evaporated in the tests will lead to cancer.

“New car smell is not without risks – we know from previous research that for some people it can cause health problems such as dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath,” Mr Jones said. “Healthwise the best new-car smell is probably no smell.”

“Many of these compounds are listed as carcinogenic, but then so are sunlight and alcohol. It is the dose that makes the poison – just because something is present does not automatically mean it’s a problem; it’s about quantity (even water is toxic if you drink enough of it).  

“The current paper is focused on ways to better model how much of the chemicals that cause new car smell might be released over time in a car under different conditions.”

Mr Jones also praised the team of scientists for adopting a new and more accurate research method, which could influence future studies.

“This is a detailed study that seems to have been conducted thoroughly, in a real-world environment rather than a lab,” Mr Jones said.  

“The authors built a predictive model of the release of the chemicals that cause new car smell and then tested the predictions against measured concentrations.

“The fact that higher temperatures increase the rate of off-gassing from materials is not new but what is interesting here is that the authors use the surface temperature of the materials to predict the amount of compound that might be released over time rather than the more commonly used metric of air temperature in the cabin.

“This makes sense when you think about how hot the seats and the steering wheel can get on a hot summer day, especially in places like Australia.  A more accurate model gives us a better idea of the likely levels of potentially harmful chemicals over time and this gives us a better idea of the risks – which can only be a good thing for drivers.”

As previously reported, car-makers are attempting to reduce new car smells due to the fear of occupants being exposed to health risks.

In 2018, Ford filed a patent for an automated new-car smell removal method, which would “bake” the car and release the VOCs to reduce the smells – though it is yet to be implemented by the auto giant.

The post Study links new-car smell to higher risk of cancer appeared first on Drive.