This popular smell could cause cancer, according to a new study

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A popular smell is said to be carcinogenic if the results of a new study are to be believed.

Something is depressing about reading all the latest cancer-related studies: All materials, foods, and habits seem to impact our health negatively. The most recent example? A universally loved smell that shouldn’t be inhaled for too long.

Loaded with dangerous substances
Which smell whether you like best? Each has their answer: some like the smell of roast chicken on Sunday, others like the smell of fresh bread (which also freezes well) or of rain on hot asphalt. In short, as far as smell (which some may have lost due to Covid-19) is concerned, everyone has their tastes. And among the best nasal kinks is the smell of a new car.

You know that blend of leather and cleanliness that some love so much they try to copy it with perfumes for cars. According to researchers, this smell is better avoided at all costs because it is a combination of several dangerous chemical substances.

Volatile organic compounds

The study, published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, is disappointing. According to the researchers, the famous “new car smell” is said to be filled to the brim with volatile organic compounds.

“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of heterogeneous substances that can be carcinogenic or toxic to human reproduction and development,” explains the site Air Parif.

But what are these famous VOCs found in the interior of a freshly purchased car? Two substances, in particular, are considered carcinogens, according to air analyses:

“The levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exceed the proposed limit, at 34.9% and 60.5% above standard, respectively. Combining an improved multi-source model with quantitative correlations, the study showed that the levels for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exceed the proposed limit.”

And just a few minutes is enough to increase the risk. “Spending just 30 minutes a day in a car can expose a person to enough of these carcinogens to put them at risk of exceeding safety standards,” according to the New York Post.

So the next time you buy a car, open the windows wide.