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2021-02
How much do you know about VOCs in automobiles?
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In recent years, China's automobile production and sales volume have ranked first in the world for consecutive years, and automobiles have become commonplace. Many car owners have this feeling: for a period of time after purchasing a new car, there is a pungent smell inside the car. In fact, an "invisible killer" is threatening the health of car owners, namely VOC, which has a huge impact on human health. What exactly is VOC, what are its harms, what are the national standards, and how is it controlled? 1 What is VOC? Volatile organic compounds, commonly expressed as VOCs, is an abbreviation of the first letters of the three words Volatile Organic Compounds, and the total vol
In recent years, China's automobile production and sales volume have ranked first in the world for consecutive years, and automobiles have become commonplace. Many car owners have this experience: a pungent smell persists in their new cars for some time after purchase. In fact, an "invisible killer" is threatening the health of car owners: VOCs, which have a significant impact on human health. What exactly are VOCs, what are their harms, what are the national standards, and how are they controlled?
1
What are VOCs?
Volatile Organic Compounds, commonly represented as VOCs, is an abbreviation of the first letters of the three words. Total volatile organic compounds are sometimes also represented as TVOCs.
According to the World Health Organization's definition, these are compounds with boiling points between 50℃ and 250℃, with a saturated vapor pressure exceeding 133.32Pa at room temperature, existing in the air as vapor at room temperature.
According to the definition of national regulations, 8 substances harmful to the body are selected for control, including various known carcinogenic substances harmful to the human body, such as benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
2
Classification of VOCs
The World Health Organization classifies VOCs based on boiling points:
3
What are automotive VOCs?
Automotive VOCs refer to volatile organic compounds emitted from automobiles.
Hazards: When the concentration of VOCs in a car reaches a certain level, people will experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, and weakness in a short period. In severe cases, convulsions, coma, and memory loss may occur. Automotive VOCs can damage the liver, kidneys, brain, and nervous system, and may even cause cancer.
Characteristics:
1. The car's interior space is small, resulting in high pollution levels.
2. Cars are highly sealed; in most cases, windows and doors are closed, hindering the diffusion of harmful gases.
3. Cars are mobile vehicles with large convective heat exchange with the outside world, and large variations in external climatic conditions, making it difficult to control temperature and other conditions.
4. Car windows and doors occupy a large area. Prolonged exposure to sunlight leads to significant temperature fluctuations inside the car. At high temperatures, harmful substances in car parts and interior materials are more easily volatilized.
5. High population density inside the car exacerbates pollution.
4
Sources of Automotive VOCs
Rubber Products
Common rubber products in cars include automotive seals. Taking EPDM seals as an example, the harmful substances and their sources are shown in the figure below:
Measures: When designing environmentally friendly automotive seal formulations, the raw materials selected must meet REACH regulations, and the use of toxic and harmful substances is prohibited. Using white oil without aromatics or paraffin oil with extremely low aromatic hydrocarbon content as a softener, selecting carbon black with a lower iodine value as a reinforcing agent, and selecting an ammonium nitrite-free vulcanization system can reduce the pollution of the seal to the contacted substances or working section.
Plastic Parts
As a major component of automotive interiors, the VOC emission of plastics cannot be ignored. Plasticizers, flame retardants, and release agents used in the production and molding of plastics contain large amounts of harmful substances such as benzene and toluene, which easily remain inside plastic products and are released, becoming the main culprit of indoor air pollution.
Measures: Companies need to strengthen VOC source control and develop low-VOC plastics or effective alternative materials. Currently, automotive interior plastics are developing towards green, environmentally friendly, and healthy trends. Spray-free plastics, bioplastics, and organic-inorganic nanocomposites, due to their inherent low-VOC, salt-alkali resistance, and wear resistance, will be more widely used.
Fabrics/Backing
To achieve wrinkle resistance, shrinkage resistance, and flame retardancy in automotive textiles, or to maintain the durability of printing and dyeing and improve the feel, formaldehyde must be added to textile production auxiliaries. When textiles are exposed to air for a long time, formaldehyde, due to its volatility, will continuously release and pollute the indoor air.
Measures:
(1) Select appropriate chemical materials and formulations.
(2) Understand the performance of chemical materials provided by suppliers and require suppliers to provide proof of qualified formaldehyde content in products when purchasing raw materials.
(3) Use formaldehyde scavengers that have proven effective in practice.
(4) During processing, use green and environmentally friendly formaldehyde substitutes and do not use products with high formaldehyde content in the later stages of the process.
Carpets and Felt Products
The VOC emission of carpets, interior blankets, and headliner felts used in cars is relatively high, which is directly related to the phenolic resin adhesive used in their manufacturing process. The synthetic raw material of phenolic resin adhesive is formaldehyde. If the reaction is incomplete, the adhesive will contain free formaldehyde, so formaldehyde will be released during use.
Measures: Selecting environmentally friendly adhesives and carpets and blankets with low or no phenolic resin content is an important way to reduce the VOC content in cars, and it is also technically feasible at present.
Adhesives
Many types of solvent-based adhesives are used in automotive interiors, such as wallpaper adhesives, carpet adhesives, sealants, and plastic adhesives. Formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and other volatile organic compounds are released during the use of adhesives.
Measures:
(1) Develop water-based adhesives, which use water as a dispersion medium and are non-toxic and non-polluting.
(2) Use hot-melt adhesives, which do not contain organic solvents.
(3) In the post-processing of adhesive use, try to allow VOCs to volatilize completely.
(4) Find less toxic solvents as substitutes.
Adhesion Promoters
Adhesion promoters can be used in polyurethane, epoxy, nitrile phenolic resins, adhesives and sealants. They improve the wettability and dispersibility of fillers and pigments in polymers and enhance adhesion to metals and plastics such as glass, plastic steel, copper, aluminum, iron, and nylon. Organic diluents are used during application and are a major source of VOCs.
Measures:
(1) Find less toxic solvents as substitutes.
(2) Ensure complete VOC evaporation in the post-processing stage.
Leather Products
Formaldehyde can be used in all stages of leather manufacturing, but most formaldehyde in leather is generated during tanning and retanning.
Measures:
(1) Select appropriate chemical materials and formulations.
(2) Understand the performance of chemical materials provided by suppliers and require suppliers to provide proof of qualified formaldehyde content in products when purchasing raw materials.
(3) Use formaldehyde scavengers that have proven effective in practice.
(4) During processing, use green and environmentally friendly formaldehyde substitutes and do not use products with high formaldehyde content in the later stages of the process.
Coatings
Coatings serve both decorative and protective functions, preventing weathering and corrosion, extending the service life of various materials, and providing special functionalities. The main film-forming substances in coatings are synthetic resins. Solvents are required to dissolve or disperse the film-forming substances into a liquid state for the coating process and then evaporate during film formation. The most common volatile gases include aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene, xylene), alcohols, and esters. Coating additives are also used to meet the performance requirements of different stages of coating production, storage, application, and film formation, and these additives also release volatile organic compounds.
Measures:
(1) Purchase qualified coating types; strictly follow product process requirements, and ventilate promptly after construction.
(2) Develop water-based coatings.
(3) Develop high-solids coatings.
Cleaning Agents
Automotive interior cleaning agents are used for the daily cleaning of car interiors, including cleaning synthetic fibers, wood, leather, fabrics, velvet, and engineered plastics (such as headliners, seats, dashboards, carpets, etc.).
Water-insoluble oil stains should be cleaned with organic cleaning agents, which are mainly used to remove grease stains from the vehicle surface. The main components of organic cleaning agents are organic solvents, mainly gasoline, kerosene, toluene, xylene, trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, etc., which are the main sources of VOCs.
Measures: Use environmentally friendly solvents.
5
Domestic Standards for Automotive VOCs
As early as March 1, 2012, China issued the "Evaluation Guide for Indoor Air Quality of Passenger Cars." The old standard identified eight main controlled substances: benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein, and specified concentration requirements. However, this was a recommended standard, not a mandatory one.
From January 1, 2017, the Ministry of Environmental Protection's "Evaluation Guide for Indoor Air Quality of Passenger Cars" became a mandatory standard, with stricter limits on harmful substances such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene in the vehicle's interior air.
6
Actions of Relevant National Regulatory Authorities
Establishment of the Professional Committee on Vehicle Interior Air Quality: On September 14, 2015, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers announced the establishment of the Professional Committee on Vehicle Interior Air Quality. This is the first professional organization for vehicle interior air quality in China's automotive industry, marking that vehicle interior air quality control will become one of the main tasks of China's automotive industry management under the new normal. China's vehicle interior air quality work has entered a new phase, which will strongly promote the healthy development of China's automotive industry.
Addition of Test Standards for Automotive Air Purifiers: On September 15, 2015, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the State Standardization Administration approved the release of the national standard for "Air Purifiers." The standard added test standards and specifications for automotive air purifiers for the first time, providing a basis for using air purifiers to solve the problem of indoor air pollution and scientifically evaluating automotive purifiers.
Initiating the Intelligent Development of Vehicle Interior Air Quality: On October 16, 2015, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center held an automotive intelligence forum. Song Guangsheng, an expert on vehicle interior environment issues, delivered a special speech on "Intelligent Vehicle Interior Air Quality" at the forum, proposing for the first time that the intelligent development of automobiles should prioritize the intelligent development of vehicle interior air quality. By combining "Internet+" and intelligent sensor technology with the vehicle's ventilation and purification system, the problem of volatile organic compound (VOC) pollution, PM2.5 pollution, and carbon monoxide pollution in the vehicle's interior can be solved to protect the health of drivers and passengers.
Release of Interim Results of Vehicle Interior Air Quality Evaluation: On October 21, 2015, the China Certification and Accreditation Administration and other units held a press conference in Beijing to release the interim results of the vehicle interior air quality evaluation work. Staff conducted preliminary tests of the air quality of 16 sample vehicles from 13 domestic automakers. Five models from three companies—JAC Motors, Great Wall Motors, and BYD—were the first to pass the vehicle interior air quality evaluation and received evaluation certificates.
Further Exposure of Indoor Air Pollution Problems in Luxury Cars: On November 5, 2015, China National Radio's Economic Channel's "Daily 315" program further exposed indoor air pollution problems in luxury cars. The program had previously reported on similar cases involving the strange odors in new luxury cars from a well-known international brand, and many other internationally renowned car brands were also involved. Despite continuous complaints, no car brand has yet provided a satisfactory solution to the problem of interior odors.
Parts and Interior Materials Industry Makes Every Effort to Solve Indoor Pollution Problems: At the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers' Parts Branch Meeting held on November 8, 2015, vehicle interior air quality work was included in the 2015 Parts Annual Meeting Work Report. Meanwhile, in the 2015 work priorities of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on industrial energy conservation and comprehensive utilization, the policy on vehicle interior volatile organic pollutant control technology was listed as one of the key tasks. Thematic conferences on automotive lightweighting, automotive interior materials, automotive plastics, and automotive adhesives held in 2015 all focused on solving vehicle interior air quality problems, and improving vehicle interior air quality by controlling harmful substances in automotive interior materials has become an industry consensus.
"Vehicle Interior Air Quality Safety" Themed Public Welfare Activity Held: On December 8, 2015, during the high incidence of haze pollution, Volvo Cars launched a public welfare activity themed "Healthy Travel, Volvo Picks You Up," focusing on "Vehicle Interior Air Quality Safety." The activity covered more than 10 hospitals, schools, and communities in the four core areas of Beijing, using Volvo cars equipped with IAQS vehicle interior air quality control and purification systems to pick up and drop off more susceptible groups such as pregnant women, the elderly, patients, and children, raising public awareness of solving vehicle interior air quality problems during haze weather.
In-vehicle air quality testing environmental chamber completed and put into use: On December 28, 2015, the largest in-vehicle air quality testing laboratory environmental chamber in China, established by the National Indoor and In-vehicle Environmental and Environmental Protection Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, was completed and put into use in Shunyi District, Beijing. It can simultaneously test 4 vehicles according to the GB/T27630 standard, not only ensuring the reliability, stability, and consistency of the test data, but also greatly improving the detection efficiency.
7
Foreign regulations on automotive VOCs
The EU's 2005 Regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH Regulation) made some provisions for automotive-related materials.
The US Environmental Protection Agency requires that materials used by automakers must be declared and must be reviewed by the environmental protection department to ensure that the harm to the environment and human body is minimized before they can be used. In addition, California Proposition 65 limits VOCs to less than 0.5 mg/m3 for total volatile organic compounds in indoor air.
Russia also formulated and implemented the national standard P51206-98 "Vehicle Interior Pollutant Evaluation Standard and Method" in 1999 to regulate automotive indoor air.
Relevant regulations of the "German Automotive Interior Environmental Standard" jointly formulated by the German Environmental Agency and the German Automotive Manufacturers Association: The benzene, formaldehyde, acetone, and xylene contained in interior decorations, seat covers, and adhesives must be lower than the German automotive interior environmental protection standards, such as formaldehyde content not exceeding 0.08 mg/m3.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association formulated JASOM 902:2007 "Automotive Parts-Interior Materials-Volatile Organic Compound Emission Measurement Method" JAMAVoluntary Action Program to Reduce VOCs in Passenger Compartment, specifically for the VOC measurement method of automotive parts and decorations.
The Australian National Pollution Inventory defines VOCs as all organic compounds with a vapor pressure greater than 0.27 kPa at 25℃.
At the end of 2007, the Korea Ministry of Construction and Transportation promulgated the "Indoor Air Quality Management Standard for Newly Manufactured Automobiles", which stipulates the emission testing methods and standards for volatile pollutants of newly produced vehicles.
8
Automotive VOC detection methods
Whole vehicle VOC content testing methods
Different vehicle series have different testing standards, including the German PV3938 standard, the Japanese "In-vehicle VOC testing method", the Russian GOST R51206-2004 standard, and the domestic "Sampling and testing method for volatile organic compounds and aldehydes and ketones in vehicles", namely the HJ/T 400-2007 testing standard. The specific testing conditions are as follows:
PV3938 testing standard: Testing conditions: 23℃, 50% RH; Testing method: Static testing; Sampling method: Use infrared lamps to simultaneously irradiate different parts of the vehicle interior to raise the surface temperature to 65℃, seal for a certain period of time, and then collect the indoor air sample.
"In-vehicle VOC testing method": Testing conditions: 23℃, 50% RH; Testing method: Semi-dynamic testing; Adjust the temperature to 40℃, maintain for 4.5h, and then use a DNPH sampling tube to collect indoor air for 30min to determine formaldehyde; After sampling, start the car engine and let the air conditioner work normally to determine VOC.
GOST R51206-2004 standard: Testing conditions: 23℃, 50% RH; Testing method: Dynamic testing; Mode 1: Drive at a constant speed of 50 km/h, test after the driving speed is stable for 20 minutes; Mode 2: Idle at the minimum stable speed specified by the manufacturer for 20 minutes before testing.
HJ/T 400-2007 testing standard: Issued by the State Environmental Protection Administration on December 7, 2007, and implemented on March 1, 2008. The standard specifies the setting of sampling points for measuring volatile organic compounds and aldehydes and ketones in the passenger compartment of motor vehicles, technical requirements for sampling environmental conditions, sampling methods and equipment, corresponding measurement methods and equipment, data processing, and quality assurance.
Ambient temperature: 25.0±1.0℃ Relative humidity: 50 ±10%. Testing method: 1. Place the vehicle to be inspected in a vehicle testing environment that meets the regulations; 2. The new vehicle should be off the assembly line for 28d±5d and the internal surface should be free of coverings; 3. Open the windows and doors and let it stand for no less than 6h; 4. During the preparation period, the vehicle testing conditions should meet the regulations, and the sampling device should be installed; 5. Close all doors and windows, keep the vehicle to be inspected closed for 16h, and start collecting.
Component (assembly) VOC content testing method
Testing standard: VDA 276
Testing method: Equilibrium concentration emission gas
Automotive interior material VOC detection items
Material VOC content testing methods
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