Naphthalene

National Pesticide Information Center

npic@ace.orst.edu

1.800.858.7378

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Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon found in coal car or crude oil. Naphthalene is used in the manufacture of plastics, resins, fuels, and dyes. It is also used as a fumigant insecticide that works by turning directly from a solid into a toxic vapor. This process is called sublimation. Most products containing naphthalene in the U.S. are used to control clothes moths in airtight containers.

General Questions about Naphthalene	Scientific Information about Naphthalene
What is naphthalene? What are some products that contain naphthalene? How does naphthalene work? How might I be exposed to naphthalene What are some symptoms from a brief exposure to naphthalene? What happens to naphthalene when it enter the body? Is naphthalene likely to contribute to the development of cancer? Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to naphthalene? Are children more sensitive to naphthalene than adults? What happens to naphthalene in the environment? Can naphthalene affect birds, fish, and other wildlife?	Chemical Class and Type Physical / Chemical Properties Uses Mode of Action Toxicity Classification Acute Toxicity Chronic Toxicity Endocrine Disruption Carcinogenicity Reproductive and Teratogenic Effect Fate in the Body Medical Tests and Monitoring Environmental Fate Ecotoxicity Studies Regulatory Guidelines

General Questions about
Naphthalene

Scientific Information about
Naphthalene

General Fact Sheet	Technical Fact Sheet	Pesticides: Testing for Exposure Using the Clinical Laboratory Medical Case Profile	A mothball mishap? Q & A
A mothball mishap? Podcast (1:32 min., 1.41MB)

If you have questions about naphthalene, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (7:30am-3:30pm PST), or email at npic@ace.orst.edu.

Last updated March 16, 2012

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NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83458501). The information in this publication does not in any way replace or supersede the restrictions, precautions, directions, or other information on the pesticide label or any other regulatory requirements, nor does it necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. EPA.