New car smell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New car smell is the common term for the odor that comes from the combination of materials found in new automobiles. It is generally regarded as a pleasant and desirable smell, possibly because of its positive association with the feeling of owning a new vehicle. However, some of the chemicals that create it can pose a risk to human health. Scientists who have studied the chemicals released recommend keeping new cars well ventilated while driving, especially during the summer.
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[edit] Where does new car smell come from?
Both the smell and what produces it vary somewhat in different kinds of cars. Most of the interior of an automobile consists of plastic held together with a number of adhesives and sealers. When the car is first manufactured, these materials are left slightly unstable, and continue to release volatile organic compounds into the air afterward. These fumes may also come from phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals that leach out and evaporate over time.
A 1995 analysis of the air from a new Lincoln Continental found over 50 volatile organic compounds, which were identified as coming from sources such as cleaning and lubricating compounds, paint, carpeting, leather and vinyl treatments, latex glue, and gasoline and exhaust fumes. An analysis two months after the initial one found a significant reduction in the chemicals. The researchers observed that the potential toxicity of many of these compounds could pose a danger to human health.
In an paper published in 2000,[1] total volatile organic compound levels as high as 7,500 micrograms per cubic meter were measured in one new vehicle on the first day of sampling. Concentrations decayed approximately 90% over a three week period. Over sixty chemicals were identified inside the interiors of the four vehicles in this study.
In some instances the odor can actually result from a manufacturing defect. According to official documents of Bentley Motors (BT26), there is an "obnoxious odor" in Bentley cars for model year 1999-2002. The smell emanates from a rust inhibitor that was used by Bentley during that time.
[edit] Health risks
A two-year study[2] released in 2001 by the CSIRO in Australia found several health problems associated with these chemicals. CSIRO research scientist, Dr Stephen Brown, reported anecdotal accounts of disorientation, headache, and irritation in some drivers of new cars. He measured pollutant levels in new cars that were sufficient to cause similar effects within minutes in controlled experiments by other researchers. Chemicals found in the cars included the carcinogen benzene, two other possible carcinogens, cyclohexanone and styrene, and several other toxic chemicals.
A more recent study in Japan found that the volatile organic chemicals in a new minivan were over 35 times the health limit the day after its delivery. In four months they had fallen under the limit but increased again in the hot summer months, taking three years to permanently remain below the limit. The limits were set by the Japanese health ministry in response to more car owners suffering from sick building syndrome. A Daily Telegraph article on the study described the enjoyment of new car smell as "akin to glue-sniffing".
[edit] Reproducing new car smell
"New-car sprays" are available that purportedly reproduce the smell of a new car in older vehicles using an aerosol spray. However, many consumers find that such sprays do not smell authentic, perhaps because of the complexity of the scent being reproduced.
The probable origin of this fragrance concept was before the use of plastics and related chemicals, being simply a leather scent (based around castoreum and birch tar oil) to mimic the smell of expensive leather upholstery.
With the advent of cheaper vinyl upholstery, there was an interest in perfuming this with leather notes to regain the "luxury" experience. Nowadays few people see leather notes as characteristic of a new car, so the "new car fragrance" concept has become confused.
[edit] References
- ^ Grabbs, James S., Corsi, Richard L., Torres, Vincent M., "Volatile Organic Compounds in New Automobiles: Screening Assessment", Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 126, No. 10, October, 2000. DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2000)126:10(974)
- ^ [1]
- Overton, Santford V., Manura, John J. Identification Of Volatile Organic Compounds In a New Automobile. Scientific Instrument Services, Inc. Retrieved on July 9, 2005.
- New car drivers exposed to toxic emissions, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, December 19, 2001.
- California acts on plastic additive, Science News, November 1, 2003, vol. 164, p. 285. DEHP is diethyl-hexyl phthalate.
- Clover, Charles. "Enjoying the smell of a new car 'is like glue-sniffing'", The Daily Telegraph, 15 January 2003.
