Chemicals used in car seats can cause cancer

Are there carcinogens inside your car? You might be at a higher risk of getting cancer because of the chemicals that are used in your car parts!

A new study has established this fact and it is high time we pay attention to this new threat of carcinogens.

The study published on May 7 in the Environmental Science and Technology journal has found that most cars have flame retardant chemicals, TDCIPP and TCEP and these are carcinogenic and are linked to causing neurological and reproductive harms as well.

“Organophosphate ester flame retardants were detected in the cabin air of all 101 vehicles tested, indicating a route for human exposure to chemicals of concern from passenger vehicles. Concentrations were correlated with the temperature of the surrounding environment. Seat foam is a source of these compounds to the cabin air," the researchers found.

Flame retardants are used in electronics, furnishings, and building materials to meet the flammability standards. Many of these are semi volatile in nature which are released over time into air and the release of the flame retardants and its chemicals is temperature dependent which means it increases with the increase in temperature.

The exposure to a very common chemical in flame retardant, which is tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) was found directly proportional to the amount of time spent in vehicle. "These findings warrant further study of the vehicle microenvironment, especially regarding the types of FRs present in recently manufactured vehicles and the extent of human exposure," the researchers have said.

List of carcinogens found in car

Tris(1-chloro-isopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) had a 99% detection frequency with in-cabin air measurements. The study found it to be the most dominant fire retardant in car seat foam. Not just cancer, long term exposure to TCIPP can be neurotoxic and can also have damaging effect on thyroid.

The other potential carcinogen the researcher found was tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP). They found that this chemical was found in 73% of cabins during the winter and 100% during the summer.

Other cancer causing chemicals that were found in the study were triethyl phosphate (TEP) and tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP).

For the study 101 electric, gas and hybrid cars from the U.S., model year 2015 or newer were analysed.

"Our research found that interior materials release harmful chemicals into the cabin air of our cars,” said lead author of the study Rebecca Hoehn. “Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every day, this is a significant public health issue. It’s particularly concerning for drivers with longer commutes as well as child passengers, who breathe more air pound for pound than adults,” she added.