Naphthalene: Uses and Safety

What is Naphthalene?

Naphthalene is a white crystalline volatile solid in the form of flakes, cakes or powder with a strong coal tar odour. It is a natural component of fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel and coal, and can be used to generate phthalic anhydride, manufacture mothballs, artificial resins, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, plastics, etc., and is an intermediate component of many organic chemicals. It is used as an insecticide in the field of pesticides, as a moth repellent indoors, and as a wetting agent and fumigant in chemical reaction solvents.

Safety of Naphthalene

Naphthalene is a toxic compound. Animal studies have shown that naphthalene can cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has concluded that naphthalene may be carcinogenic to humans. Inhalation, ingestion or dermal exposure of humans to naphthalene has been associated with haemolytic anaemia, liver damage and neurological damage. Symptoms include eye irritation, headache, confusion, euphoria, malaise (vague feeling of discomfort), nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, profuse sweating, jaundice, haematuria, dermatitis and optic neuritis. Cataracts or retinal damage have been reported in workers acutely exposed to naphthalene by inhalation and ingestion. In humans, naphthalene is broken down to alpha-naphthol, which is associated with the development of haemolytic anaemia. Kidney and liver damage may also occur. Haemolytic anaemia has been reported in babies born to mothers who "sniffed" and ingested naphthalene (mothballs) during pregnancy. Ingestion of high doses of naphthalene also induced methemoglobinemia and subacute haemolysis.

References:

[1] BURUTE R B, SHINDE S N. CASE REPORT OF NAPHTHALENE POISONING LEADING TO METHEMOGLOBINEMIA[J]. International journal of scientific research, 2024. DOI:10.36106/ijsr/6703643