Article Source: Environmental Health News
Article Link: https://www.ehn.org/cars-indoor-air-pollution-2668764764.html
The materials in car cabins can release high levels of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) – a group of potentially endocrine disrupting chemicals – into the surrounding air, according to a new study published in Science of the Total Environment.
In short:
- Nine different SVOCs were detected in the air and dust of car interiors, including at least 5 chemicals that had never previously been reported in car cabin air.
- The concentration of SVOCs increased at higher temperatures, with particle levels increasing as much as 40,000 times at 80°C.
- Turning on the ventilation system effectively reduced chemical exposure, lowering the level of SVOC gasses by as much as 90%.
Abstract:
Materials in car cabins contain performance-enhancing semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). As these SVOCs are not chemically bound to the materials, they can emit from the materials at slow rates to the surrounding, causing human exposure. This study aimed at increasing the understanding on abundance of SVOCs in car cabins by studying 18 potential endocrine disrupting chemicals in car cabin air (gas phase and airborne particles) and dust. We also studied how levels of these chemicals varied by temperature inside the car cabin along with ventilation settings, relevant to human exposure. A positive correlation was observed between temperature and SVOC concentration in both the gas and the particle phase, where average gas phase levels at 80 °C were a factor of 18–16,000 higher than average levels at 25 °C, while average particle phase levels were a factor of 4.6–40,000 higher for the studied substances. This study also showed that levels were below the limit of detection for several SVOCs during realistic driving conditions, i.e., with the ventilation activated. To limit human exposure to SVOCs in car cabins, it is recommended to ventilate a warm car before entering and have the ventilation on during driving, as both temperature and ventilation have a significant impact on SVOC levels.
Key quote:
“It is recommended to ventilate a warm car before entering and have the ventilation on during driving, as both temperature and ventilation have a significant impact on SVOC levels.”
Why this matters:
Because of their roles as flame retardants and plasticizers, the same SVOCs present in car interiors are used in many everyday textiles and plastics. SVOCs are not chemically bound to their materials, causing them to release throughout the entire lifetime of whatever product they’re in. While this study points to steps individuals can take to reduce their own exposure, the presence of previously unreported SVOCs highlights the need for more testing and regulation that accounts for consumers’ exposure to large mixtures of potentially harmful chemicals.
Related EHN coverage:
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- Air pollution from household products is cutting people’s lives short
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