Following concerns raised by public health professionals over the volume of airborne chemicals present in new cars, Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS) has developed a new test method for measuring emissions from materials and components in automobile interiors.

The airborne chemicals consist primarily of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde; polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as flame retardants; and phthalic acid esters (phthalates), which result from common interior cabin materials such as leather, plastics, wood, textiles, seat cushions, glues and sealants.

AQS recently conducted a study for the Greenguard Environmental Institute that measured VOCs in the passenger compartments of three automobiles (two of which were new and one was one-year old) and found more than 100 different VOCs, many of which are known to cause potentially serious health problems. Other researchers around the world are finding similar results, including The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which recently released a comprehensive report on levels of PBDEs and phthalates in new cars.

Using its emission test chambers and exposure models that determine potential health risks to car occupants, AQS has developed a protocol for measuring emissions from materials and components in automobile interiors. The AQS test method is comparable with Europe's requirements VDA 276, ASTM D 5116 and the European ECA Report # 8.

"Consumers and automobile manufacturers put a lot of emphasis on car safety. Using this test method, manufacturers can get real-world data on the types and levels of chemical emissions from the materials and components used inside the passenger compartment. These data can help manufacturers ensure the air inside their cars is safe to breathe, giving consumers peace of mind that they are indeed buying the safest cars on the market," said Dr Marilyn Black, chief scientist at AQS.