Researchers at Riverside University in California say it can also be harmful to smell in new cars because of the mixture of gases emitted by the chemicals used by manufacturers in the cabin. A study by the university researchers mentioned above looked at when our exposure to known carcinogens becomes dangerous to health.
The measurements were based on travel time and the level of chemicals in the vehicles. Based on these, benzene and formaldehyde are the most dangerous, the inhalation of which already exceeds the safe level after 20 minutes. This, in turn, increases in direct proportion to the length of time spent in the vehicle.
How can benzene and formaldehyde get into the car?
Benzene is the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon. A colorless liquid with a characteristic odor, insoluble in water but miscible indefinitely with most organic solvents, and benzene itself is an excellent solvent. Benzene is used in large quantities as a solvent in the chemical industry and is also suitable for the production of various paints. Based on these, you can already understand how to get into the passenger compartment of a car.
Formaldehyde can get into the car in a number of ways, such as its aqueous solution, formalin kills most bacteria and fungi, including their spores, and the cabin of a new car is not ruled out to be thoroughly disinfected when it is done. On the other hand, most formaldehyde is used in the synthesis of polymers and other materials. In the presence of phenol, urea or melamine, a strong resin is formed. This resin is used as an adhesive.
Both substances are on the list of carcinogens listed by the California authorities. But we must not forget that because a substance is carcinogenic, it is far from certain that it will have a detrimental effect on everyone who encounters it. The adverse health effects also depend on the amount inhaled as well as the degree of exposure of the individual.
From here, the next step for car manufacturers is to reduce the levels of these chemicals in the passenger compartments of their vehicles or to use less hazardous chemicals.
* the opening image is for illustration only
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