Drivers who set off on the road in the heat run the risk of being poisoned by the vapors of toxic gases emanating from inside the vehicle. An analysis by American researchers reveals the dangers in the passenger compartment.
Car manufacturers use different substances to fireproof parts inside cars. They have in mind the slowing down of a possible fire that could break out in the event of an accident.
The risks to which drivers are subjected
The heat favors the evaporation of some toxic gases that come from the substances used in fireproofing. This is how it is done, draw the attention of American researchers, on the one hand drivers are protected in case of fire. And on the other hand, he risks getting seriously ill. These are the conclusions of an American study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, reports AFP.
The study carried out by researchers from the universities of Duke, Berkeley and Toronto shows that one of these substances, triphosphate (TCIPP), is present in the air of 99% of the vehicles tested. This is possible because many parts inside cars contain flame retardants. Their role is to delay the spread of fire in the event of a fire. It is about organophosphate compounds, quite toxic.
Moreover, the substances are also used in foams for cleaning furniture, electronic devices or clothing.
Exposed to these substances, drivers risk intoxication and health problems.
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Researchers’ experiment
Drivers who drive in the heat are at risk of intoxication, researchers say. They carried out an experiment that consisted of suspending for a week a sample of silicone on the interior rearview mirror of some recent vehicles. They then analyzed the substances found on this sample.
And the conclusions were quite worrying. Under normal conditions, the concentration of TCIPP was found to be similar to that found inside a home. When the indoor temperature rose, due to the heat outside, the concentrations of this substance increased greatly. The presence of TCIPP in the foam of vehicle seats reinforces this effect, putting drivers and passengers at risk.
TCIPP is a potentially carcinogenic substance, according to a report published in 2023 by the US Department of Health. Tested on rats and mice, the substance caused liver and uterine tumors.
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The drivers fell from the lake into the well
TCIPP, the carcinogenic substance discovered by researchers, is already replacing another flame retardant product in the cabins of many cars. It is about another compound, called TDCIPP, which in 2011 was placed on a list of carcinogenic products in California.
In this context, the authors of the study expressed concern about long-term exposure to these products. Drivers who spend a lot of time in the car are targeted, but also children who are passengers.
They recommend controlling the temperature in the vehicle even in hot weather. I also suggest parking the car in the shade, if possible, and opening the windows to let the air circulate when starting.
