Variation of VOCs Inside a New Car during the First Year and Their Relationship to Temperature

Authors

Maneerat Ongwandee
Thabtim Chatsuvan
Theerapong Sairat
Kritsanaphong Lephol

Publication Date

2014-01-01

Abstract

Passenger exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from vehicle interiors hasincreasingly drawn public concern over their potential health risks. This study aimed to investigate ambient levels of in-cabin VOCs in a new car over the period of one year after first delivery. The relationship between VOC concentrations and in-cabin temperature was also studied. Seventeen active air samplings inside a parked new car were conducted from February 2012 to February 2013 using sorbent tubes. Six VOCs were measured with first-month average concentrations of 215 µgm-3for benzene, 65.6 µgm-3for toluene, 151 µgm-3for 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, 806 µgm-3for ethyl acetate, 183 µgm-3for formaldehyde, and 28.2 µgm-3for acetone. The concentration profiles of all VOCs except formaldehyde declined, falling below the detection limits towards theend of the 1-year monitoring period. Formaldehyde concentrations were found to be directly proportional to in-cabin temperature at a significance level of p=0.05 during the first five months.

First Page

69

Last Page

75

Recommended Citation

Ongwandee, Maneerat; Chatsuvan, Thabtim; Sairat, Theerapong; and Lephol, Kritsanaphong (2014) "Variation of VOCs Inside a New Car during the First Year and Their Relationship to Temperature," Applied Environmental Research: Vol. 36: No. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/aer/vol36/iss2/7