On-site Car Interior Analyses

Car interiors consist of different components made of various materials, such as plastics, glue, lubricants or paint, exhibiting the potential for outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can be harmful to human health.

Several studies depicted the presence and outgasings of VOCs in new cars, which is commonly known as “new car smell“. Typical harmful compounds found in new car interiors are: acetaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m-, p-xylene and styrene, e.g. With its GC-IMS device

G.A.S. offers a novel solution for detection and quantification of VOC outgasings by the use of the combination of an automated analyte enrichment & desorption, gas chromatography (GC) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) combining excellent selectivity with extraordinary sensitivity (low/sub-ppb level) within one measuring device.

The developed system detects and quantifies all the afore-mentioned VOCs down to a concentration level of 5 ppb and lower, whereas the cycle time is ~15 minutes only. Furthermore, the system is able to characterize the fingerprint of a “new car smell” by the orthogonal and intrinsic 2-dimensional separation technique of GC-IMS technology.

Exemplary evaluated signal intensities of different car interiors before and after radiation within a standardized emission chamber (ISO standard 12219-1). Numerical Analysis.

Exemplary picture of measurement chamber. Different vehicles were located in the temperature, radiation and humidity controlled measurement chamber based on ISO standard 12219-1.