Why do people use air freshener? To get rid of the bad smell.
Like I said earlier, air fresheners’ fragrances the air.
The main purpose is to FRAGRANCE THE AIR! =O
But do they actually MAKE THE AIR FRESH? as in fresh healthy air?
So, this is what im gona do now. Revealing what air fresheners actually
do to ur air that u breath in.
They exist in many types. Examples:-
The point is what does an air freshener contains?
Not how many types of air freshener are there!
Air fresheners mainly contain about 1% of perfume,
24% of alcohols or other solvents and 75% of chlorofluorocarbon
known as CFC propellants.
That 1% of perfume is perfume oils giving the air fresheners fragrance.
These include aldehydes which are part of synthetic fragrance group.
Simplest aldehyde is called formaldehyde containing a carbonyl group
and at least one hydrogen atom bound to the alpha carbon where the
carbonyl group is attached to the end of a chain of carbon atoms.
Aldehyde structure
Molecules that contain an aldehyde group can be converted
to alcohols by the addition of two hydrogen atoms to the
central carbon oxygen double bond which undergoes reduction.
Organic acids are the result of the introduction of one oxygen atom
to the carbonyl group (oxidation).
Many aldehydes have pleasant odours, and basically, they are
derived from alcohols by dehydrogenation which means removal
of hydrogen, from which process came the name aldehyde.
Fatty aldehydes contain long chains of carbon atoms connected
to an aldehyde group. They have between eight and 13 carbon atoms
in their molecular formula. The fatty aldehydes have a
very pleasant odor, with a fruity or a floral aroma, and can
be detected in very low concentrations.
Due to these characteristics, the fatty aldehydes are used in the
formulation of many perfumes.
The aldehyde that contains eight carbon atoms in its
molecular formula is called octyl aldehyde and smells like oranges.
Octyl Aldehyde
The next longer aldehyde molecule is nonyl aldehyde, with nine carbon
atoms in its structure, and has the odor of roses.
Nonyl Aldehyde
A very powerful smelling compound is the 10-carbon aldehyde (decyl aldehyde),
which has a scent of orange peel and is present in small
concentration in most perfumes.
Citral, a more complicated 10-carbon aldehyde, has the odor of lemons.
Lauryl aldehyde, the 12-carbon aldehyde, smells like lilacs or violets.
Another 24% are made up of alcohols and other solvents.
i) Isopropyl alcohol or also known as isopropanol
This alcohol can be found mainly in the spray type air freshener.
Isopropanol is a clear and flammable liquid at room temperature
with odour resembles that of a mixture of ethanol and acetone.
It is the result of a combination of water and propylene.
ii) Pine Oil (comparable to turpentine in terms of toxicity)
Pine oil which is also one of the ingredients in an air freshener.
It is distinguished from other products from pine such as
turpentine, the low-boiling fraction from the distillation of pine sap,
and rosin, the thick tar remaining after turpentine is distilled.
Chemically, pine oil consists mainly of cyclic terpene alcohols.
It may also contain terpene hydrocarbons, ethers, and esters.
The exact composition depends on various factors such as the
variety of pine it is produced from and the parts of the tree used.
iii) Limonene
Limonene, a solvent in an air freshener. Orange and lemon peel
both contain a molecule called limonene. However, the limonene
molecule in orange peel has a different structure than the
limonene in lemon peel. The different structures
have different smells.
iv) Paradichlorobenzene
Para-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) is an organic solid of white crystals
with a mothball-like odor. It is used mainly as an insecticidal fumigant
against clothes moths and as a deodorant for garbage and restrooms.
v) Phthalates
Many air fresheners contained a phthalate. Phthalates or
phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used
as plasticizers. There are many types of phthalate such as
Dimethyl phthalate, Diethyl phthalate, Diallyl phthalate,
Di-n-propyl phthalate, Di-n-butyl phthalate, Diisobutyl phthalate,
Butyl cyclohexyl phthalate, Di-n-pentyl phthalate, Dicyclohexyl phthalate,
Butyl benzyl phthalate, Di-n-hexyl phthalate, Diisohexyl phthalate,
Diisoheptyl phthalate, Butyl decyl phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate,
Di(n-octyl) phthalate, Diisooctyl phthalate, n-Octyl n-decyl phthalate,
Diisononyl phthalate, Diisodecyl phthalate, Diundecyl phthalate,
Diisoundecyl phthalate, Ditridecyl phthalate, Diisotridecyl phthalate,
Polyethylene terephthalate.
The rest of the content of an air freshener is, 75% of
chlorofluorocarbon(CFC)propellants.
Propellants are any gas, liquid, or solid the expansion of which
can be used to impart motion to another substance or object.
They are usually butane, isobutene or propane.
Normally found in those spray type(aerosol) air fresheners.
Alright ! Now that I've listed most of the contents in an air
freshener, next is, have u thought about the consequences
in using air fresheners? Do you know about the health and
safety precautions that you should take note of???
Basically, air fresheners are highly flammable. Especially those liquid ones.
How about the solid ones? Aha! Put them in your mouth, swallow it and u will die!!
I am not saying you are going to eat an air freshener but kids will!
What makes me say that kids will eat up air freshener?? Look at the photo!
They look like candies!
Those chemicals found in air fresheners will affect your health!
And even causes death!
As i browse around the internet for this topic, I found this and
I want you all to know about this too.
Ethyl or Isopropyl Alcohol: causes flushing, headache, dizziness,
CNS depression, nausea, vomiting, anesthesia, and coma and
can be dangerous if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Pine Oil (comparable to turpentine in terms of toxicity):
irritates the skin and mucous membranes and has
been known to cause breathing problems. Large doses may
cause central nervous system depression.
Limonene: an irritant and sensitizer, classified as dangerous
for the environment.
Paradichlorobenzene : causes dizziness, headaches, and liver problems.
Formaldehyde: causes irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes;
inhalation may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat,
and difficulty breathing, as well as triggering or aggravating asthma symptoms.
Phthalates: causes damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs, and developing testes
Propellants : inhaling butane can cause drowsiness, narcosis,
asphyxia, cardiac arrhythmia and frostbite, which can result in
instant death from Asphyxiation, Acute toxicity and ventricular fibrillation.
Its not just bad for the environment but its equally bad for the health.
Please click this link to read more on Phthalates as it is very dangerous. =]
Theres ofcourse much much better ways to get rid of bad odours.
You dont need to go everywhere and *prsssssss prsssssss prsssss* your air freshener!
You dont even need to spend ur money to get an air freshener.
You just have to :
a) open up the windows for a better ventilation
b)clean up ur rooms/closets regularly
c)throw the thrashes out of the house
d)no smoking in the house!
e)JUST BE CLEAN ok? ^-^
Its all in your hands. Choose wisely. Be healthy. No sicky!
This?
Or
SAY NO TO *PRSSSSSS PRSSSSSSSSSS PRRRSSSSSS* xD
