Vehicle Interior Air Quality: Review of Current Research and Legislation Status

Alena Nessmithová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

The car interior is a very important micro-environment that can have a serious impact on human health. It is filled with many man-made materials that all emit volatile organic compounds (VOC) at varying degrees and, considering the small volume of space in a car cabin, concentrations of VOCs can reach levels that exceed recommendations for safe exposure in interior environments many times over. Most of the organic compounds are harmful to human health and many of them are carcinogenic. Even though globally the average time spent in cars keeps increasing, very little attention is paid to vehicle interior air quality (VIAQ) by governments, legislators and consumers alike. This paper reviewed the latest research concerning VIAQ with a focus on VOCs, their main sources and factors affecting their concentration in car interiors, as well as international legislation in regards to VIAQ. Legislation regarding VIAQ is virtually non-existent in most of the world, with China, South Korea and Japan being the only pioneers of VOC regulation aimed at car manufacturers.Based on the research it can be concluded that there is quite a bit of room for improvement for car manufacturers who can alleviate the VIAQ situation by applying better materials and installing cabin filters with active VOC elimination. Primarily, however, car manufacturers need to be testing finished cars for VOC emissions and information about whole cabin TVOC concentrations should become available to consumers as part of basic information about vehicles they receive. Increased consumer awareness and new legislation drafted to address this issue would ensure a safer environment in all cars, regardless of their manufacturer.

Keywords

volatile organic compounds, vehicle interior air quality, legislation, air pollution, health effects

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 25. 6. 2020

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Marta Martínková, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Bachelor programme / field:
Environmental Sciences / Applied Ecology