TECHNOLOGY | ODOUR REDUCTION
AqFresh in rigid recycled plastics from three suppliers Source: Aqdot
unwanted tastes or smells, which is unacceptable under EU Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/2004, the regulation for articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Under this EU framework, manufacturers must use technologies (functional additives, devolatisa- tion) to remove or neutralise VOCs to make high-PCR-content packaging viable (and also acceptable to consumers). VOC control, then, becomes a technical enabler for reaching PPWR recyclate targets without compromising food safety or quality. Returning to vehicles, there are several factors driving the elimination of VOCs. Refinements to VDA 270 (the German Automotive Industry Association’s test for the evaluation of odour characteristics), and OEM-specific standards such as VW’s PV 3900 odour test, are now emphasising both subjective odour perception (human noses are still a factor in determining air quality) and instrumental VOC profiling (e-noses). China’s GB/T 27630 standard, introduced in 2011 – and updated in 2020 – sets strict limits on VOC emissions in vehicle interiors to protect occupant health. The latest version, GB/T 27630- 2020, comes into full effect in July 2025. It regu- lates eight specific compounds, including formal- dehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and styrene, with lower permissible limits than those set by Germa- ny’s VDA 278 or VDA 270 guidelines. Unlike VDA tests, which are often used for material qualifica- tion, GB/T 27630 focuses on the overall air quality inside finished vehicles, making compliance a major challenge for automotive OEMs and interior materials suppliers targeting the Chinese market. But legislation isn’t the only driving force in
reducing VOC levels in automotive interiors. It may seem paradoxical, but a paper in the academic journal Neuroscience in May 2019 suggested that
38 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2025
perception of smell is heightened in quiet environ- ments, and lessened in noisier environments. With electric vehicle sales rising – and their cabins being noticeably quieter than their combustion-engined equivalents – the need to eliminate VOCs, from a consumer perception standpoint, has become more acute.
Additives Cambridge, UK-based additives company Aqdot published a blog in November 2024 called “Debunking the new car smell: a global perspec- tive”. The company commissioned a global survey which found that “new car smell” was perceived negatively by 49% of respondents (rising to 79% looking at China alone, where 72% of respondents said that “new car smell” would even negatively influence brand perception). Interestingly, the survey also revealed that Chinese consumers were highly aware of VOCs (84%) compared to only 52% awareness in the US. The survey found that consumers in key markets, including China, are willing to pay a premium of up to €118/$134 for odourless interior materials. Aqdot says its AqFresh technology can signifi-
cantly reduce VOCs and odours according to VDA 270 C3, VDA 278, ISO12219-2 and VW’s PV 3942. The additive is marketed for both automotive interiors and packaging, and is said to neutralise odours at low loadings, including VOCs released post-moulding. AqFresh uses cucurbiturils, a family of barrel- shaped molecules known for their ability to bind and trap other compounds. Cucurbiturils’ structure features a hollow, water-repellent cavity and polar openings at each end, which allows them to selectively encapsulate a variety of smaller mol- ecules, including many VOCs. This makes them effective at neutralising unwanted smells without
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