Therefore, if you’re going to buy mothballs, look for ones made from paradichlorobenzene. Rethink storing mothballs in the house. Naphthalene enters the human body through inhalation or passing through the skin. A total ban on mothballs with naphthalene may now be the safest course". An estimated 396 g of naphthalene balls can raise the indoor concentration of the toxic fumes to 200 micrograms/cubic meter over one year. If any of these symptoms occur, seek medical assistance right away. Mothballs are nearly 100% active ingredient, and the active ingredient may be either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene.Each active ingredient can cause different health effects if the exposure is high enough. Health Effects of Mothballs. One mothball can contain 0.5–5 g of naphthalene. Illness Associated with Exposure to Naphthalene in Mothballs -- Indiana . Naphthalene has been found in wastewater treatment plant discharge. Acute exposure to naphthalene can cause a coma. How many naphthalene balls cause death? Naphthalene 91-20-3 Hazard Summary Naphthalene is used in the production of phthalic anhydride; it is also used in mothballs. Don't use mothballs as air fresheners or in home remedies. Mothballs slowly turn from solids to toxic vapor. Fluid is most evident in dependent areas that are below the heart like the ankles and feet. The half-life of naphthalene in the environment may range from less than one day in air to over 80 days in soil. Accidental inhalation can also happen when naphthalene balls are used the wrong way, such as putting it in vents to repel pests. Moth ball inhalation can lead to convulsions, seizures or limpness. No information was found on naphthalene and groundwater. Older mothballs consisted primarily of naphthalene, but due to naphthalene's flammability, many modern mothball formulations instead use 1,4-dichlorobenzene.The latter formulation may be somewhat less flammable, although both chemicals have the same NFPA 704 rating for flammability. Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may also cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and blood in the urine. The fatal dose for naphthalene in humans is unknown, but as little as one mothball can result in toxicity in children. The symptoms of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene toxicity are different too. A very common cause of edema in a dying person is protein malnutrition. Coma. If someone has inhaled multiple moth balls and becomes unresponsive, call 911 immediately. Composition. Some symptoms include fatigue, lack of appetite, restlessness and pale skin. In whatever form, naphthalene is about twice as toxic as paradichlorobenzene, which means that a pet can eat approximately twice as much paradichlorobenzene before death occurs. Naphthalene is broken down by bacteria, fungi, air, and sunlight. Exposure to large amounts of naphthalene may damage or destroy red blood cells. Acute (short-term) exposure of humans to naphthalene by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact is associated with hemolytic anemia, damage to the liver, and neurological damage. Naphthalene is an organic compound with formula C 10 H 8.It is the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. In bed ridden patients, the hands and hips may swell as well. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings. In April 1982, the Clark County Health Department in Jeffersonville, Indiana, received a telephone call from a 26-year-old woman whose friends were becoming ill with symptoms of headache, nausea, and vomiting while visiting her apartment. It is best known as the main ingredient of traditional mothballs Cataracts have also been reported in