What is naphthalene, how is it used, and how are people exposed?
Naphthalene is a bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C10H8. Pure naphthalene is a white, water-insoluble solid at room temperature. It is produced by distillation and fractionation of either petroleum or coal tar. Naphthalene’s principal use is as an intermediate in the production of phthalic anhydride, a chemical important in the manufacture of phthalate plasticizers, resins, dyes, and insect and animal repellents. Naphthalene is also used in the manufacture of synthetic leather tanning agents and the insecticide carbaryl. Naphthalene has been used as a moth repellent and as a deodorizer for diaper pails and toilets. A large number of hazardous waste sites included on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA’s) National Priorities List have detectable levels of naphthalene that heretofore have not been believed to pose any appreciable risk to human health. Naphthalene exposure is widespread in the environment at part per billion (ppb) levels.
