Organic+Chemistry+and+Perfumes

Perfume Industry:

Fragrances are now used in almost every cleaning, laundry, and personal-care product on the market. Since people have been using perfumes for hundreds of years. It’s reasonable to wonder why the problem of using scents has surfaced only recently. Until the 20th century, perfumes were made from natural ingredients derived directly from plants and animals, and as fragrances became cheaper and more widespread, they also became more synthetic. The National Academy of Sciences reports that 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including known toxins capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. We have been brainwashed by the industry to feel we must cover up our natural scents with toxic chemicals. Many of the same chemicals in perfumes are the same chemicals that are in cigarette smoke. Here are some principal chemicals found in scented products and the health risks that can be involved: · Acetone — when inhaled, it can cause mild central nervous system disturbances such as dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, slurred speech, and drowsiness. It can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. · Alpha-pinene — can be a moderate irritant to skin, eyes, and mucus membranes. · Alpha-terpineol — can cause excitement, loss of muscular coordination, hypothermia, central nervous system and respiratory depression, and headache. · Benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, camphor, ethanol, and others. Most fragrance chemicals are not tested for safety. 