Shock: The air inside the car contains carcinogenic substances, especially during hot weather, car owners need to pay attention to this during the summer

A study conducted by the American Chemical Society has found that 99% of cars contain cancer-causing chemicals in the cabin air.

In May, the American Chemical Society released their noteworthy research findings. Specifically, they discovered fire retardants in the cabin air that could cause cancer for those who inhale them.

This chemical is called tris(1-chloro-isopropyl) phosphate, commonly abbreviated as TCIPP. This flame retardant is often used in polyurethane foam to manufacture car seats for most types of vehicles worldwide.

The organization's research tracked 155 drivers and car operators over an extended period, with vehicles manufactured from 2015 to the present. In total, 101 tests were conducted in winter and 54 tests in summer.

The final results showed that 99% of the vehicles in the study detected TCIPP present in the cabin air, particularly emanating from the seats. As the temperature inside the cabin increased, the concentration of TCIPP also increased by 2 to 5 times.

The exact amount of TCIPP in the air ranged from 0.2 to 11,600 nanograms per gram of air (1 nanogram equals 1 billionth of a gram).

The organization mentioned the need for further research to measure the high levels of TCIPP and assess whether it could increase the risk of cancer. However, they cited a toxicity report published in 2023, discussing TCIPP's potential to cause cancer in mice, indicating potential risks.

To minimize the impact of TCIPP, the American organization recommends that vehicle owners should open the doors when parked in a safe outdoor location. If this is not feasible, they can use the air conditioning system with air recirculation from the outside or open the car doors and wait for some time before using it on hot sunny days. These are some of the solutions they propose.

Original article and picture by AutoPro