The scent of a new car can be enticing in showrooms, and even intoxicating in its appeal. There’s a good reason for that. That new car smell comes from an assortment of chemicals, some of which can be highly toxic.
展廳中的新車會散發(fā)出迷人的氣味，甚至令人陶醉。這種“醉人”的味道不是白來的，而是來自多種化學產品的混合物，其中一些還具有很高的毒性。

The source of the bouquet so many buyers find appealing is in the various solvents, adhesives, plastics, rubbers and fabrics used in car construction. Many of these contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which can be deadly in sufficient quantities. Others are just bad for you.
這種讓眾多買家感到好聞的香味源于生產汽車所使用的各種溶劑、粘合劑、塑料、橡膠和纖維。其中許多成分還含有揮發(fā)性有機化合物，如果大劑量的接觸這種化合物將會致命，其他一些化合物只是對身體不好。

“It’s a chemical cocktail made up of lots of toxins,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director of the Ecology Center in the US state of Michigan. The Ecology Center has been monitoring and testing chemical levels in car interiors for years, and has noted some improvement. But Gearhart says there is still work to be done.
美國密歇根州生態(tài)中心研究室主任杰夫?吉爾哈特說：“這是由許多毒物混合而成的化學雞尾酒”。生態(tài)中心近年來一直在監(jiān)測并檢驗汽車內部的化學物質水平，而且已經看到了一些進展，但是吉爾哈特稱，還有不少工作要做。

“There are over 200 chemical compounds found in vehicles,” he said. “Since these chemicals are not regulated, consumers have no way of knowing the dangers they face.”
他說：“汽車內部有兩百多種化學混合物。因為這些化學物質不受監(jiān)管，所以消費者無從知曉自己所面臨的危險”。

Just reading a list of the substances is scary enough, and makes your car’s interior sound like a hazmat hall of fame. Benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and heavy metals are all part of the mix. And the danger of exposure is scarier still. Immediate symptoms can range from a sore throat to headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions and nausea, depending on the sensitivity of an individual.
僅僅是讀一下這些化學物質的名單就已經夠嚇人的了，你的汽車聽起來就像是危險物的名品堂。苯、甲苯、甲醛和重金屬都名列其中。而且，接觸這些化學物質帶來的危險更加可怕，可能會即刻產生咽喉腫痛、頭痛、眩暈、過敏反應、惡心等癥狀，癥狀根據(jù)每個人的敏感程度而不盡相同。

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, continued exposure to some of these can lead to hormonal disruption, reproductive impacts and damage to the liver, kidneys and central nervous system — or even cancer. It’s that long-term exposure that experts find most worrisome.
據(jù)美國環(huán)保署稱，持續(xù)與其中一些化學物質接觸可能導致荷爾蒙紊亂、生殖功能下降，對肝、腎、中樞神經系統(tǒng)造成破壞——甚至會引發(fā)癌癥。專家們認為最值得擔憂的就是這種長期接觸。

“People spend over an hour a day in their vehicles on average,” said Gearhart. “Whether it’s adults, children, or pets, we’re concerned about prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals inside the vehicle.”
吉爾哈特說：“人們平均每天要在汽車內待一個小時以上。我們十分關注長期在汽車內接觸有毒化學物質帶來的危害，無論里面坐的是大人、小孩、還是寵物”。

The danger is greatest when the car is new, and that new car smell is most noticeable. This is when components are still unstable and prone to what is called off-gassing — the release of chemical vapours, which leads to the odour. Heat from a vehicle left in the sun can make matters worse, and speed up the chemical reaction. The danger is reduced over time, and experts say the worst is usually over within about six months.
新車的氣味最明顯，對健康的危害也最大。因為新車中的化學成分還不穩(wěn)定，容易進行所謂的“逸散”——即化學氣體揮發(fā)，這樣就產生了氣味。太陽下暴曬的汽車會使情況更糟，因為高溫會加速化學反應。汽車使用時間越長，危害越小，專家稱最嚴重的時候就是購車后的頭六個月。

Experts advise the best thing that buyers can do to limit exposure is to keep car interiors well ventilated, especially during the first six months of ownership. Park in the shade with the windows open when it’s safe to do so, or at least try to air it out before getting inside — especially on hot days.
專家建議購買者最好保持車內通風良好以減少同化學物質的接觸，尤其是在剛買車的頭六個月。把車停在陰涼處，如果開窗安全的話，就把車窗打開，或者至少在上車前先通風換氣，特別是在天熱的時候。

Vocabulary

hazmat: 危險物料
formaldehyde: 甲醛

英文來源：BBC
譯者：實習生孫美真
審校&編輯：丹妮