The “new carpet smell” comes from a mix of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from materials like synthetic fibers, latex backing, and adhesives. Key chemicals include:
· 4-Phenylcyclohexene (4-PC): The primary source of the “new carpet” odor, linked to eye and respiratory tract irritation.
· Styrene and Formaldehyde: Used in carpet backing and binders, known to be irritants and potential carcinogens.
· Benzene and Toluene: Often found in adhesives, these are among the most harmful VOCs.
· Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs): Flame retardants added to many household materials. Cats with hyperthyroidism have shown PBDE levels three times higher than healthy cats.
· Perfluorochemicals (PFCs): Used in stain-resistant treatments. A study found dogs and cats had significantly higher levels than humans.
I’ll be honest I just asked the question to an LLM and just wanted to hint at what was potentially dangerous about new carpets.
So all I can offer is to share the conversation in question with the LLM and advise caution on the reliability of the informations.
I checked some of the references but not all of them so as any LLM response, you should probably verify it.
Deepseek’s response :
https://chat.deepseek.com/share/k4o5j2jxvbwx9rt2n2
Excerpt :
The “new carpet smell” comes from a mix of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from materials like synthetic fibers, latex backing, and adhesives. Key chemicals include:
· 4-Phenylcyclohexene (4-PC): The primary source of the “new carpet” odor, linked to eye and respiratory tract irritation.
· Styrene and Formaldehyde: Used in carpet backing and binders, known to be irritants and potential carcinogens.
· Benzene and Toluene: Often found in adhesives, these are among the most harmful VOCs.
· Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs): Flame retardants added to many household materials. Cats with hyperthyroidism have shown PBDE levels three times higher than healthy cats.
· Perfluorochemicals (PFCs): Used in stain-resistant treatments. A study found dogs and cats had significantly higher levels than humans.