Organic Emissions from Automobile Interiors

Six subcompact automobiles were evaluated in this study for the emission of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and other organics into the passenger compartment. The quantitation of VCM was performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in the single ion mode. The interiors of the automobiles were thermostatically controlled at either 45° or 65° C for 3 hrs before sampling the car interior. Each automobile was sampled for VCM at both temperatures.

Samples for qualitative analyses were obtained at 65° C. The GC/MS analysis resulted in the identification of 147 organic compounds in the automobile which were not found in the ambient air in the vicinity of the test.