Naphthalene is a strong smelling, naturally occurring, white solid that is found in fossil fuels. Burning tobacco and wood products also produces naphthalene. It is used to make moth repellents, dyes, resins, leather, tanning agents, and insecticide.

How You Are Exposed

Everyone is exposed to low levels of naphthalene in outdoor air. If you live near or work in an industry where discharges of naphthalene are possible or where wood and/or fossil fuels are burned, you are at risk of being exposed to higher levels of naphthalene. You may also be exposed to significant levels of naphthalene if you live in a home or work in an environment where cigarettes are smoked, wood is burned, or moth repellants are being used. Clothing and blankets can also sometimes be treated with naphthalene. Drinking water may contain naphthalene if it is taken from a contaminated well or when there is a spill.

How Can Naphthalene Affect Your Health?

Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene can damage and even destroy red blood cells.  Until the body replaces these cells, there could potentially be a shortage of red blood cells in the body.  Such an effect has been seen in individuals, usually children, who have eaten mothballs or deodorant sticks containing the chemical. Some of the symptoms of such a condition include fatigue, appetite loss, restlessness, and pale skin. Other effects of exposure to large quantities of naphthalene include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the urine, and a yellow skin tone.