Naphthalene is a white solid that is found naturally in fossil fuels. Burning tobacco or wood produces naphthalene. It has a strong, but not unpleasant smell.
The major products made from naphthalene are moth repellents. It is also used for making dyes, resins, leather, tanning agents, and the insecticide, carbaryl.
Exposure to naphthalene happens mostly from
breathing air contaminated from the burning of wood or fossil fuels, industrial discharges,
tobacco smoke, or
moth repellents. Exposure to naphthalene is associated with
anemia, damage to the
kidneys, and, in infants,
brain damage. Symptoms of acute exposure include
headache,
nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea,
malaise,
confusion,
jaundice,
convulsions, and
coma. Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may damage or destroy some of your
red blood cells.
Cataracts have also been reported in
workers acutely exposed to naphthalene by inhalation and ingestion.
Recently, government researchers found that exposure to products that contain naphthalene may increase the risk of
cancer. Naphthalene has been found in at least 536 of the 1,430 National Priorities List
sites identified by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
See your doctor if you have experienced serious health problems because of naphthalene exposure. In addition, it may be important to
contact an attorney who can help you protect your legal rights. Please keep in mind that there may be
time limits within which you must commence suit.
See Also
- Toxic & Hazardous Substances
- Anemia
- Bladder Control & Urination Problems: Overview
- Blood Disorders: Overview
- Cataracts: Overview
- Coma: Overview
- Delirium: Overview
- Depression: Overview
- Diarrhea: Overview
- Fatigue: Overview
- Head & Brain Injury
- Headaches
- Jaundice
- Kidney Failure
- Nausea: Overview
- Seizures: Overview
- Sleep Disorders: Overview
- Naphthalene: Frequently Asked Questions