Naphthalene is made from crude oil or coal tar. It is also produced when things burn, so naphthalene is found in cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and smoke from forest fires. It is used as an insecticide and pest repellent. Naphthalene was first registered as a pesticide in the United States in 1948.
Naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon found in coal tar 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.
Inhalation of naphthalene may cause skin and eye irritation; gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea; neurologic symptoms, such as confusion, excitement, and convulsions; renal problems, such as acute renal shutdown; and hematologic features, such as icterus and severe anemia
