Impact of interior material selection on the concentration levels of formaldehyde in vehicle cabin environment

Air pollution in vehicle cabin environment has gained increasing concern recently. This study addresses the necessity to predict and regulate the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from interior materials to improve in-cabin air quality. We focus on how the selection of interior materials influences formaldehyde concentration levels under multi-source emission scenarios. Chamber experiments were conducted to determine the three key parameters of formaldehyde emissions from five typical interior materials (carpet, car door, sealing strip, and two adhesives) using the C-history method. By applying a multi-source emission model with the measured key parameters, various cabin emission scenarios are predicted and evaluated. Comparison of formaldehyde concentration levels between experimental data and simulated results demonstrates the effectiveness of the model. Analysis based on the model indicates that adhesives contribute significantly to in-cabin air pollution, and the impact of different key parameters on the emission behaviors is different. Adhesives with higher ratio of initial emittable concentration to partition coefficient will prolong the emission period and increase the health risks. The ventilation requirements for different multi-source emission scenarios are also quantified. These results underscore the critical role of material selection in controlling formaldehyde emissions and the necessity of developing low-emitting materials to improve air quality and occupant safety in vehicle cabins.