The “good smell” of a new car can be carcinogenic

Everyone knows the smell of a new car. You can almost smell the low mileage. Nevertheless, this typical smell could be carcinogenic, say Chinese researchers.

Researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology and the American Harvard examined the air quality in the interior of a new car. They took a hybrid SUV and loaded it with sensors. The new car stood outside for twelve days with the windows and doors closed.

Possible carcinogenic odor in new car

During the measurements, the researchers discovered twenty so-called Volatile organic compoundsthat may contain carcinogenic substances. The Volatile organic compounds are gases released from various products such as furniture, fabric upholstery and chemicals such as paint and gasoline. These exhaust gases are also responsible for the typical new car smell.

Some of these gases were frequently detected by the researchers’ sensors. For the chemists among us: Particularly high concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were found. “Risk analysis shows that drivers who ingest some of these gases have a higher risk of developing cancer in the future,” researcher Jianyin Xiong told Fox News.

Limited risk

For example, what the researchers noticed was how hot the temperature of the dashboard got. The surface temperature rose to over 90 degrees Celsius. “The amount of chemical air inside a new car depends on the surface temperature, not the heat of the air, as is often assumed,” explains Xiong.

However, the risk is often limited to eye, throat or lung irritation. For an increased risk of cancer, these vapors would have to be inhaled frequently over a longer period of time. However, this usually does not happen, because the doors and windows of cars are opened regularly. This means that no dangerous concentrations can arise. If you just bought a new car, you don’t have to worry.