新车气味
潜在问题：您车上的挥发性有机化合物
虽然很多人很爱新车的气味，实际上那却是一种称为挥发性有机化合物，或VOC的化学物质。您甚至可以看到它们累积成薄膜，出现在您新车的挡风玻璃或车窗上。1 这些用在您车内的胶水、油漆、和塑料所产生的废气，会引起头痛、恶心、喉咙痛、和头晕。生态学中心认为这些车内的化学物，会造成“先天缺陷、学习障碍、肝毒、早产和青春期过早等，在实验室动物身上除了其它重大疾病之外，还发现这些”。2 环境保护署表示，VOC可造成肝、肾、中枢神经的损伤，有些VOC则被怀疑或甚至已证实是人类致癌物。3 如果您认为这些东西的浓度不足为惧，请务必记得，平均而言，新车里面有250磅塑料，而其废气浓到您很容易就闻出来。4
开车本身也会让您大量接触邻苯二甲酸盐(塑料软化剂)和多溴联苯醚(PBDE)。因为邻苯二甲酸盐的毒性和普及程度，5 同时在动物实验发现，它会损害肝脏及肾脏，6 所以环境保护署对其高度关切。PBDE则会累积在生物体内，且已经能在人类母乳中发现了。7
1 Terry Galanoy, “Don't inhale that new car smell,” CNN Living, July 31, 2008, http://articles.cnn.com/2008-07-31/living/... (accessed January 4, 2011).
2 Ibid.
3 “An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ),” Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html (accessed January 4, 2011).
4 Terry Galanoy, “Don't inhale that new car smell,” CNN Living, July 31, 2008, http://articles.cnn.com/2008-07-31/living/... (accessed January 4, 2011).
5 “Phthalates Action Plan Summary,” Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/existingchemicals/...(accessed January 4, 2011).
6 Michael Abrams, “Invisible hitchhikers may be lurking in your car,” msnbc.com,January 13, 2008, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22360355/ns/... (accessed January 4, 2010).
7 “Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs),” Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pbde/ (accessed January 4, 2011).
8 Terry Galanoy, “Don't inhale that new car smell,” CNN Living, July 31, 2008, http://articles.cnn.com/2008-07-31/living/... (accessed January 4, 2011).
