Naphthalene is a chemical used to make lubricant, insecticide, resin, solvents, and many other commercial and consumer products. This odorous, white solid is most well known as mothballs, and sometimes called moth flakes, naphtha, nafta, or tar camphor. It occurs in the ash of plant material, as well as a trace element in petroleum products like crude oil.

Naphthalene naturally resides in a few substances on earth. For example, we find naphthalene in fossil fuels and in the ash of timer and tobacco. It can be isolated for use in manufacturing and consumer products. Perhaps the strongly smelling chemical is best well known as mothballs. The flakes or balls get wrapped in wool blankets, coats, and sweaters to keep away munching moths.

Although naphthalene comes as a solid, it is easily converted to liquid and gas. As a particulate suspended in gas, it can combust, therefore it is used in explosives. Naphthalene also dissolves in alcoholic liquids like acetone. Often, it's used in tanning leather applications, insecticide, antiseptic, lubricant, dye, resin, solvents, and plastics.

Since naphthalene is involved in stages of so many products, both workers and consumers may be exposed to this dangerous chemical. Employees learn how to take precautions that reduce their exposure to the liquid or gas. The general public must be careful when using mothballs or diaper pail deodorizers. They cause serious health problems when used incorrectly.

For instance, the naphthalene fumes may overwhelm a child wearing a sweater recently removed from a chest full of mothballs. Inhalation can lead to nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, fever, confusion, and fainting. Routine exposure might cause a kind of anemia called hemolytic anemia, where a person's red blood cells get damaged. Ingestion or skin exposure causes more extreme reactions in your liver and bladder, causing jaundice, lightheadedness, and eventually leading to coma. Cigarette smoke contains naphthalene, which may be carcinogenic.