Naphthalene, a carbon-based chemical used to make mothballs, insecticides, resins, solvents, lubricants, and household products, can cause adverse health effects if ingested or inhaled constantly. It occurs naturally and is also created synthetically. It is commonly used as a moth repellent and has industrial applications. Routine exposure can cause hemolytic anemia, and ingestion or prolonged skin exposure can cause liver and bladder damage. Manufacturers recommend keeping mothballs out of children’s reach and wearing protective masks when working with the chemical.
Naphthalene is a carbon-based chemical that is most commonly used to make mothballs. It has the chemical formula C10H8 and is known in the scientific community as a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. This chemical occurs naturally, but scientists can also create it synthetically in the laboratory. In addition to mothballs, it is used to make insecticides, many resins and solvents, and a range of lubricants and household products. Many cigarettes also contain it. People who are regularly exposed to the chemical often experience adverse health consequences. It is usually considered safe for use in small amounts, but if ingested or inhaled constantly it can lead to nausea, headaches and organ damage.
Main resources
In most cases the compound starts out as a white solid with a very distinctive odor. It is also sometimes marketed as naphtha, naphtha, camphor tar, or moth scale, depending on the purpose for which it is sold. The original origin of this compound comes from nature. Some substances naturally contain naphthalene; it is found in trace elements in many fossil fuels as well as in timer and tobacco ashes. Scientists often isolate it through a filtration and filtration process, and it is sometimes created synthetically as well. Human-made copies usually have the same chemical attributes, but are often easier and quicker to isolate.
Use as a moth repellent
This product is most commonly used as a moth repellent. Moths are small, winged insects that live throughout most of the world and typically eat wool and some other animal products. They can be hard to deter as they are capable of squeezing through small spaces and eating through a variety of materials. However, they tend to have a very distinctive sense of smell and usually don’t go near scents they find offensive. Products containing naphthalene are typically among the most effective.
People often mothball sweaters and may scatter chemically laced shavings or flakes in closets containing woolen clothing, blankets, and other possessions. Some manufacturers also weave flakes into their products or coat certain fibers in liquid versions of the chemicals to provide some sort of constant protection, although this is more common for wool that has a utilitarian purpose than wool that is worn directly against the skin.
Industrial applications
Although naphthalene is typically first mined as a solid, it is easily converted into a liquid and gas. As a particulate suspended in gas, it can burn relatively easily and is consequently often used in explosives. The chemical also dissolves in alcoholic liquids such as acetone. It is commonly added to leather tanning products, insecticides and a range of industrial antiseptics, lubricants, dyes, resins and solvents. Many plastics also have it as an ingredient.
Risks and precautions
Because this chemical is involved at least to some extent in the manufacture of so many different products, workers and consumers alike can be exposed to it and its potential dangers. Employees in factories and manufacturing plants typically learn to take precautions that can reduce their exposure to the liquid or gas. The general public should also be aware of the use of mothballs even in the course of normal clothing storage as they can cause serious health problems if used incorrectly. Children are also often more at risk than adults.
For example, the fumes can overwhelm a child wearing a sweater recently removed from a crate full of mothballs. Inhaling the chemical can lead to nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, fever, confusion and fainting. As a result, it’s usually a good idea to give clothing time to air out before wearing, or have it professionally cleaned if possible.
Routine exposure can cause a condition called hemolytic anemia, in which a person’s red blood cells become damaged and begin to not adequately oxygenate the body. Ingestion or prolonged skin exposure have been known to cause more extreme reactions in the liver and bladder, causing jaundice, dizziness, and possibly even leading to coma. Cigarette smoke also contains the chemical, which can lead to long-term breathing problems. Manufacturers usually recommend keeping mothballs and related products out of the reach of children and encourage people working with the chemical to wear a protective mask and take breaks for fresh air if necessary.
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