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 1.2. BackgroundHistory 1st period of perfumery - to 1860s Ancient compositions were generally composed of roots, barks, berries or animal materials macerated in animal fats to produce oils. There was little change in composition from the source materials. These natural materials might contain hundreds of substances, but they were generally in low levels or in specific combinations and ratios. Over the centuries of use, much was learned regarding both positive and negative effects of these natural substances. During the Crusades, the Arabs introduced Europe to steam distillation. This allowed for more efficient extraction of fragrant materials from plants. Extracts of fragrant materials from plant materials by distillation are now known as essential oils. The essential oils were mixed with alcohol to form more easily usable fragrant mixtures and are the basis for early perfumes. 2nd period of perfumery - 1860s to 1950 Synthetic nitromusks and other new materials were introduced and became a part of fragrance formulations. Chanel No. 5, the first perfume containing a synthetic aldehyde was introduced in 1921. These materials were used at very low levels and natural materials made up the majority of the formula. 3rd period of perfumery - 1950 to mid-1970s During the 1960s better techniques were developed to analyze chemical mixtures. Gas chromatography allowed for more precise identification of materials present in natural substances allowed closer duplication of naturals with synthetics. Individual chemicals could be identified in natural materials and their odor characteristics explored. Fragrance manufactures began to replace naturally-derived materials with synthetically produced ones. Synthetic materials were combined to form new odors not found in nature. Chemistry played an increasingly important role in perfumery. Not only could natural materials be analyzed, competitor's formulas could be as well. These and other developments set the stage for the age of modern perfumery. Modern perfumery - mid-1970s to present The 1980s brought about further changes. What is known as "trickle down" products became popular. The same scents found in perfumes could be found in lotions, powder, soaps and other items. (Calkin & Jellinek, 1994, p. 149) The technique of "layering" fragrance became popular. This involved using functional products such as soaps and lotions with the same scent as one's perfume. The same scent was used from the skin out. Body heat would cause the fragrance to volatilize and slowly emit through clothing creating "timed released" long lasting fragrance. The 1980s were a time of rapid growth for the industry. Industry sales of fragrance chemicals doubled during this time. Before the 1980s most functional products for cleaning the body and the home had generic odors. Most soaps were scented to smell the same, no matter what the brand. Most cleaners were either pine or lemon scented and most laundry detergents had similar scents. Companies started giving these functional products a scent that was distinctive to their brand. The scent became a marketing tool. Formulations also changed. Previously formulas were composed of a large number of ingredients at low levels. Formulations began to utilize newer, more potent synthetics that could be used at higher levels than older synthetics. Four to five materials could make up as much as 80% of the formulation. (Calkin and Jellinek 1994, p. 85) The scent of some of these materials are extremely long-lasting, with the odor lasting for months. (Quest, 2002) These fragrances were designed to get into the air quickly, have an immediately powerful impact and linger long after the wearer has left the area. The 1990s brought about a resurgence of interest in aromatherapy, which is the use of natural essential oils and herbs to treat mental and physical ailments. The fragrance industry coined the phrase AROMA-CHOLOGY® (Sense of Smell Institute, 2002), which is the use of fragrant materials (both natural and synthetic) to use odors to transmit feelings directly to the brain. Products used to scent the air are also very popular. This includes scented candles, plug-in devices that use heat to volatilize oils, and a variety of other products to deliberately add scent to the air. In addition numerous fragrant sprays, powders, etc., are designed to mask household odors. Fragrance Materials Eighty to ninety percent of the materials now used in fragrance are synthetic.( Somogyi, Rhomberg, & Sakuma , 1992) The majority are synthesized from petroleum products. The supply of synthetics is generally more reliable and often less expensive than their natural counterparts. Quality is easier to control than with natural materials, which are affected by growing conditions and processing. Natural animal products such as civet, musk, and ambergris are very expensive and only used in the most exclusive formulations. Further animal rights issues have made these materials controversial and difficult to obtain. Less than .01% of fragrance materials currently in use are obtained from animal sources. Essential oils and other natural materials are still used, but generally in combinations with synthetics. Further the line between synthetic and natural is very blurred. For example, turpentine is a substance from a natural source. It is one of the major starting materials for synthesis of aroma chemicals (materials to make flavors or fragrance). The technology exists for single chemicals referred to as isolates, to be extracted from starting materials. While isolates may be from a natural source, substances in isolation may act quite differently than when in mixtures. In addition, essential oils are often extracted using solvents and these solvents may not be fully removed. Many times essential oils are adulterated meaning other materials are added to make them go further or to standardize them. It had long been thought that chemicals have the same properties whether they come from a natural source or a synthetic one. This simplistic view does not account for impurities that may be present from the extraction process of natural materials or byproducts of the reaction process of synthetic materials. Thus, a chemical obtained from a natural source may have a different odor than a chemical obtained from petroleum by-products. Safety and health effects may also differ because of these impurities. It has also been learned that the "chirality" of a material can affect its properties. Chirality is a somewhat difficult concept to explain. It is often explained in terms of a mirror image or handedness. For example, a solution of limonene may contain some molecules that are not identical, but rather mirror images of each other. Hands have same structure, but a right hand will not fit in a left-handed glove. In reality chirality is more complex. Molecules may be oriented in more different ways than a mirror image. Chemicals that have the same composition, but different spatial orientation are referred to as isomers. The distribution of isomers and the different isomers can impact effects of fragrance chemicals. Isomers and isomer ratios may be different in natural materials than in synthetics. Some isomers are more desirable for use in fragrance than others. Processes may be used for synthesis that yields higher levels of the desirable isomer. In general, safety of a material is not based on its whether it is natural or synthetic. Materials, natural or synthetic may have health implications. There is more known about truly natural materials because of a long history of use. Since there is no legal definition of natural, it is impossible to know which materials in a product are really natural in origin. Further they are usually used in mixtures different from their original source. Materials in mixtures may act very differently than singular substances. Actions of a material may vary with the ingredients it is mixed with. Substances in mixtures may have synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects. Further chemical reactions may occur in mixtures causing new substance to be formed. Only when the same materials are used in the same combinations and under the same circumstances is history of use a valid gauge of safety. In addition to odor, fragrance and flavors materials also have other physical and chemical properties. Most of the materials are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and enter the air quickly. Many of the materials are heat, light, and air sensitive. This means they are unstable, may break down, and even form new compounds once they are in the air. The types of materials used to make fragrance and flavors include aroma chemicals, fragrance compounds, flavors compounds, and natural substances obtained from plants and animal products, as well as other materials that are used as solvents, dilutents, and fixatives. Worldwide sales of materials used to scent products are estimated to be $11-14 billion in 2000 and growth is projected to be around 4% annually through 2005. This is the value of raw materials and not finished products. Because the industry is so diverse, it is difficult to accurately assess sales. All figures are estimates and may vary from source to source. Aroma Chemicals The nine major starting chemicals for synthesis of aroma chemicals are: Turpentine oil C2-C5 petrochemicals Benzene Phenol Toluene Xylenes Cresols Naphthalene Cyclopentene Aroma chemicals may be synthetic creations and only possible through chemistry, while others may have a counterpart in nature. Very often materials will be designated as "nature identical" meaning the materials are chemically identical to a substance found in natural products. The industry has gotten very creative and there is no clear line between natural and synthetic. Very often the industry definition of "natural" is that the starting material was obtained from a natural source rather than from petroleum. Materials extracted from naturally occurring materials, obtained through fermentation, controlled heating, or through use of enzymes in naturally occurring materials would be considered natural by the industry. At present 80-90% of raw materials used in fragrance and flavors are produced through synthesis. Aroma chemicals act on the senses of taste and smell. They generally have molecular weight less than 300 and other properties that allow them to be detected by taste or smell. Most are volatile or semi-volatile substances. Both taste and smell are processes of chemoreception or detecting chemicals. Aroma chemicals are widely diverse in their chemical structure. Alcohols, phenols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, lactones, amines, sulfides, thiols, and terpenoids are some of the classes of chemicals aroma chemicals may belong to. The majority are esters, ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols. A few aroma chemicals contain nitrogen and/or sulfer. Most are fat soluble and water-insoluble. There are about 2,800 individual chemicals used in flavors and fragrance. Many of these chemicals are used at very low levels or infrequently. Others are in common use and/or are used at relatively high levels. Some of these chemicals have applications in other industries, while some are primarily used in fragrance and flavors industry. Four main factors influence the volume of use of fragrance materials. They are odor qualities, stability and performance, safety in use, and cost.(Pybus & Sell, 1999) Materials that have good odor qualities, are stable, relatively safe, and are economical are more likely to be used in higher volume. Materials that have extremely potent odors and meet the other criteria are used frequently, but at very low levels because only a small amount can be used or the odor would be over powering. Volume used of these materials would be smaller, even though they were frequently used. Materials that meet only part of the criteria are only used in small amounts or in limited applications. There are many types of materials used. The majority of materials are low molecular weight hydrocarbons. The following table provides the basic classification for 2127
fragrance materials.
Classification based on chemical structure
Terpenes form the largest group of natural odorants and are also one of the largest group of odorants used in fragrance. There are thousands of different terpenes structures. Some have odor properties that are useful in perfumery while others do not. The five key terpenes used are geraniol-nerol, linalool, citronellol, citronellal, and citral. These materials are used as is as fragrance ingredients and they are used as starting materials for synthesis of other terpenes. Terpentine or petrochemicals are the major raw materials used for synthesis of terpenes. There are many terpenes that are important in perfumery. A few of these are limonene, carvone, p-cymene, methol, carveol, isopulegol, 1,8-cineole, menthofuran, piperitone, and thymol. These again, are used as is and in the production of other fragrance materials. Over 40 thousand metric tons of terpenes and related substances are used annually in flavors and fragrance. Natural musks were used for both for their odor and fixative properties. These materials are difficult to obtain, expensive, and politically incorrect because of animal rights issues. Political and economical factors have eliminated common usage of natural musks. Synthetic musks are the replacements for natural musks. "Musk" refers to the odor characteristic and not the chemical structure. Synthetic musks are used in just about every scented product either for odor quality or for fixative properties. Around 11 thousand metric tons of synthetic musks are used annually world wide. There are three major classes of synthetic musks. Nitromusks were discovered in the process of making explosives in 1888. It was noted that one of the compounds had a pleasant, sweet musky odor. Other synthetic musk compounds were developed from this material. The most common nitromusks in use today are musk ketone and musk xylene. Nitromusks are still widely used today, especially in soaps and detergents. They are being phased out in Europe because of health and environmental concerns, but are still widely used in the US. They bioaccumulate in human tissue and in the environment. A new class of synthetic musks were discovered in the 1950s. These substances were called polycyclic musks. They have in many cases replaced nitromusks. The two most common polycyclic musks are Tonalid® and Galaxolide® . Polycyclic musks are widely used as well, but are not without health and environmental concerns. They bioaccumulate in human tissue and the environment. The macrocyclic musks are structurally the closest to natural musks. They are much more expensive to produce so are not as widely used. Ethylene brassylate is one of the most commonly used macrocyclic musks. It is often used as a masking fragrance in "unscented" and "fragrance free" products. Macrocyclic compounds are thought to be safer than nitromusks and polycyclic musks but the actual toxicity data is limited. Benzoids are materials that have benzene or naphthalene rings in their structures. Over 66 thousand metric tons of benzoids are used annually. Many important fragrance chemicals such as amylcinnamaldehyde, benzyl benzoate, cinnamaldehyde, coumarin, cyclamen aldehyde and vanillin are in this grouping. There are a number of chemicals commonly used that do not fit into the above categories. These include aliphatic aldehydes, esters of aldehydes, esters of fatty acids,
heterocyclic chemicals, leaf alcohol and its esters, benzyl alcohol, and others. Over 21 thousand metric tons are used annually.
Essential oils & naturals Frequently essential oils are adulterated, substances are added to extend, standardize, dilute, or otherwise alter the material. Growing conditions can impact the quality of the oil. Adding natural or synthetic materials can standardize the oils so they more consistent in odor qualities. Or materials may be added to intensify the odor qualities of the essential oils. In some cases natural materials are simply diluted or have less expensive chemicals added to make them more economical. Adulteration is common within the industry and compromises the "natural" designation. As little as 5% of the around 3000 ingredients available to the perfumer is estimated to come directly from nature.(Cabannes, 2001) Compounded fragrance Compound fragrance materials may be a mixture of aroma chemicals, essential oils, solvents, fixatives, and other materials. The companies purchasing these compositions generally do not know the ingredients in the fragrance formula. The compounded fragrance material may be a perfume made specifically for a company or it may be product widely sold to many companies. Between 28-29% of fragrance and flavors materials sold are compounded fragrance. Other materials Alcohol is one of the most common materials used to dilute and as a carrier of fragrance. While the alcohol is that same type found in alcoholic drinks, it is denatured for fragrance use. By law alcohol has to be made undrinkable or taxes must be paid on it. In order to prevent this additional expense, virtually all alcohol used in fragrance has been made undrinkable or denatured. There are very specific regulations regarding denatured alcohol. The denaturants, the ratios, and the uses are specified by law. Materials to denature alcohol used in the processing and manufacture of perfumes may vary from benzene to essential oils. Composition Traditionally fragrance formulas consisted of many materials used at relatively low levels. Perfume was the most concentrated and lasting form of fragrance and a good perfume was formulated to last 6-8 hours. Perfumes were designed to gradually evolve over that time period and were often referred to as having notes. The first note was the initial olfactory impression of the fragrance. The second note was the body of the perfume and the longest lasting. The third note was the final lingering impression of the perfume. In a good perfume the three notes seamlessly blended. Typically alcohol has been the solvent and dilutent in perfumes. Most fragrance materials were easily dissolved in alcohol. There were few problems with compatibility. Modern formulations are much different. They are immediately powerful and long lasting. How long the odor lasts has as much to do with which materials are used as it does with the concentrations used. Some chemicals have a very low odor threshold and can be detected at very low levels. Other materials have a higher odor threshold and have to be at higher level to be detected. The tenacity of the chemical is also involved. The odors may last a long time or they may dissipate rather quickly. Other properties involved are how quickly the chemical gets into the air and spreads through the air. While detection of an odor means the chemicals are in the air, it is not a reliable indication of the level exposure. And there are also materials that are present that may not be detected. Further the use of materials such as cyclodextrins can provide a "time released" delivery system. Cyclodextrins are hollow starch molecules. The fragrance is trapped inside the molecule is gradually released in the presence of moisture. This technology is frequently used in laundry products and cleaners. Fragrance in products such as cleaners, bleaches, and other products may pose complex problems with compatibility. Natural materials are not usually used in products that have high or low ph or in the presence of oxidizers as they will break down and discolor. Perfume comes packaged in glass bottles. This is not only for esthetics. Fragrance chemicals can absorb and degrade plastics. There have been problems within the industry of the fragrance leaking from plastic air freshener containers. Fragrance can penetrate cardboard packaging and escape into the air. The loss of fragrance is responsible for the easily identified odor present in detergent aisles of grocery stores. In addition, when scented products in which the fragrance escapes the container are placed next to other products, there can be contamination. Not only does the composition of the formula vary with the application, the amount of fragrance also varies. Perfumes are traditionally the most concentrated form and may contain The Industry The fragrance and flavors industry is not one industry but rather a group of interrelated industries and overlapping industries that produce or use fragrance and/or flavors materials. Fragrance has found such widespread application in so many products, that the industries involved are extensive. Slightly more than half of all the raw fragrance and flavor materials produced are used to scent products and the remainder used to flavor products. North America consumes about a third of the materials and Western Europe consumes about 25%. The US is the largest producer of raw materials and the largest consumer of scented products. Of the fragrance materials consumed, 40% are used in cosmetics and toiletries. Approximately 60% are used in soaps, detergents, cleaners, and a wide array of products such as pesticides, candles, metal cutting fluids and car washes.* Companies that sell fragrance and flavors materials The fragrance and flavor houses are involved in research and development. They develop new aroma chemicals and formulations for use in fragrance and flavors. They also develop new perfume and fragrance formulations for other companies. Formulations may be exclusive and sold to only one company or they may be marketed to a number of companies. Aroma chemicals are also sold to companies compounding their own fragrance or flavors. Though the compounded fragrance materials are sold to other companies, it is common for the ingredients in these formulations not to be divulged to the companies purchasing them. So the companies using the fragrance formula to scent their products are often unaware of the actual ingredients in it. They usually depend on their supplier to provide safe materials that are suitable for intended use. Fragrance and flavor houses are usually very secretive about their products and formulations. Chemical companies also sell aroma chemicals. They generally do not have any investment in research and development of these materials. Chemical companies usually offer only materials that are in common use and sold at marketable levels. Very often these materials may have applications in other industries as well. They are usually less secretive about the products they sell as no proprietary information is involved. These are also small companies that may specialize in a specific area such as sale of essential oils. While these companies play an important role in the industry, they are not generally major players. Products containing fragrance and flavors materials Usage & Marketing The vast majority of people in this country use scented products of one type or another. Most use or are exposed to numerous sources of fragrance on a continual basis. Products such as shampoos, soaps, lotions, hair sprays, makeup, and other cosmetics and toiletries usually have fragrance added either to impart a scent to product or to mask the odor of other ingredients. Perfumes and colognes are products marketed for their scent. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS) collected data on human exposures to common pollutants. According to the NHAPS Reports 63% of the 4723 participants used air fresheners in their homes, 47% used perfumes, colognes, aftershave, or other type of fragrance, and 43.7% used toilet bowl deodorizers. Use of scented products varied among ethnic groups. Black and Hispanics were more likely to use scented products, while those of Asian decent were less likely to use such products. This supports industry demographics of ethnic use of fragrance. Worldwide sales in the personal care industry are around $122 billion annually. US sales are around $29 billion annually. Sales of perfumes and colognes alone were over $5 billion in the US. Per capita spending in the US on perfumes and colognes is around $21 per year. Household cleaning products had sales of $2.4 billion in 2001. Sales of laundry products topped $8 billion. Sales of home fragrances are over $2 billion annually with sales of candles making up over $900 million of the total. In addition to personal care, household cleaning, and maintenance items, there is considerable use of fragrance in other consumer products. Trash bags now come in scented versions. Products to clean and maintain appearance on automobiles are also scented. A scented car wash is now an option in many self-service car washes. Scent is added to plastic flower pots. Paints and pesticides often contain fragrance to mask odors of other ingredients in the products. Tobacco products such as cigarettes contain flavors/fragrance chemicals to enhance the flavor, especially lower tar and nicotine brands. Fragrance is used in pesticides to cover the odor and make the products more acceptable to consumers. Just about anything imagined may contain fragrance. In addition to personal care and household cleaning and maintenance items, there is considerable use of fragrance in other consumer products. Trash bags now come in scented versions. Products to clean and maintain appearance on automobiles are also scented. A scented car wash is now an option in many self-service car washes. Scent is added to plastic flower pots. Just about anything imaged may contain fragrance. Paints and pesticides often contain fragrance to mask odors of other ingredients in the products. There is also considerable use of fragrance in industrial and commercial products. Most disinfectants and cleaners contain fragrance. Even materials such as metal cutting fluids may contain fragrance. Fragrance may also be added as an odorant to products that are toxic and have low odor in order to give an olfactory warning of exposure. Fragrance is frequently in pesticides to cover or mask the odor of the pesticide. It is considered an inert ingredient, but it may play a more active role. Fragrance chemicals can increase the absorption of other materials. Further some fragrance chemicals themselves are registered with the EPA as pesticides. Benzyl benzoate is a common fragrance chemical and also has pesticide properties. Benzyl benzoate is used in products to kill dust mites. Flavors are another source of exposure to aroma chemicals. Many of the same materials are used to flavor products as are used to fragrance products. In most settings outside of the food industry exposure to flavors is not a major issue. There may be some concerns regarding the safety of materials for use in foods, but they generally only impact the person that is eating the food. There are two exceptions to this. Aroma chemicals added to tobacco products enter the air and become an indoor air pollutant. Around 600 fragrance/flavors materials are routinely used in cigarettes. Many of these materials are considered safe for use as flavors in foods. However, this does not ensure sure safety via inhalation. Further the burning process can cause breakdown and form totally new chemicals that may be more toxic than the original substances. A portion of the pollution from second hand smoke comes from the fragrance/flavors chemicals. Microware popcorn has become exceedingly popular. Few would consider it any type of health risk. However, many asthmatics frequently find the fumes from microwaving popcorn extremely irritating and a trigger for their asthma. Until recently there has been little evidence that raised concerns related to microwave popcorn. In 2001, it was discovered that workers in microwave popcorn plants had developed severe lung damage from exposures to the flavors in microwave popcorn. The exposure to the flavors in the plant is much higher than would ever be encountered by consumer use and are not likely to pose health risks for most consumers. However, for those that are susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollutants such as asthmatics, microwaving popcorn can be problematic. There are few settings of modern life that does not involve use or exposure to scented products. Scented products are ubiquitous in home, work, social and health environments. This widespread use of scented products creates problems and concerns especially for those that have health problems triggered by fragrance. The fragrance industry has experienced phenomenal growth in the past fifty years. The use of fragrance has increased ten-fold since the 1950s. Industry sales of materials to flavor and fragrance products doubled during the 1980s. This growth has been fueled by clever marketing strategies used to convince the masses that every aspect of their life must be scented. The primary market has traditionally been women. Perfumes, scented toiletries and personal care products, household cleaners, and laundry products were items women traditionally used. As this market has become saturated, strategies have been developed to target other markets. Men became the target of fragrance campaigns and are quickly catching up with women in the use of products that are primarily used for their scent. With these markets becoming saturated, the industry has turned to younger markets for growths in sales. There is focus on the ethnic market as well. The teen market is heavily targeted by the beauty industry including fragrance companies. The teen market is seen as having available cash to spend. Not only are perfumes popular with teens, heavily scented toiletries and personal care products are as well. Scented candles are also popular in this age group and teens frequently report they burn candles in their rooms. Not only is the teen market targeted, but younger children as well. Perfumes, colognes, and other scented products are available in versions for children. Disney markets perfumes for kids. Two-three year olds are targeted by fragrance companies. Baby colognes and aromatherapy products are also available for infants. There are even perfumes marketed for pregnant women. The Fall/Winter 2002-2003 edition of Fragrance Foundation's Trends Report covers among other things, "fragrance types to dominate for Fall/Winter 2002-2003 for men, women, teens and infants". Per capita sales of perfumes, colognes, and other products used primarily for their scent in the US in 1999 was $20.96. Growth is especially strong in the teen markets and ethnic groups. Discussion Use of fragrant materials has a long history. These materials obtained from plant and animal materials played important roles in ancient medicine and spiritual cultures. Frequently this history of use is frequently cited as a measure of safety of present fragrance formulations. Modern fragrance bears little resemblance to its ancient counterpart in usage or composition. Ancient compositions were plant or animal materials macerated in animal fats. Modern fragrance is complex mixtures of many materials both natural and synthetic in combinations never found in its ancient counterpart. Historically, use of fragrant materials has been limited to medicinal use, special circumstance, or used only by those in positions of power and wealth. Modern usage involves daily use by the masses of multiple products and constant exposure. History of use as a measure of safety only applies when composition, usage, and exposures are the same. Historically fragrances have been primarily luxury and special occasion products. But, since the mid-1970s, fragrance has gone from being a luxury item to one that is in daily use. The first perfume was mass marketed in 1973. During the 1980s the sales of raw fragrance materials doubled as distinct scents were increasingly added to products such as toiletries, soaps, laundry products and other household items. The 1990s found rapid growth of products to scent the environment such as air fresheners, scented candles, and products marketed to impact mood and emotion. Clever marketing has rapidly expanded the use by and exposure of people to scented products over the past three decades. People commonly use multiple scented products on a daily basis. Potent, long-lasting fragrance is the trademark of modern perfumery. Fragrance chemistry is a complex science that involves complex mixtures of chemicals. The possible combinations are infinite. Consideration must be given not only for the resulting scent of the product, but for the compatibility of the fragrance ingredients themselves, the product they will be used in, and the container the product will be put in. Complex delivery systems may also be used. Formulations may be very simple or they may be very complex. The majority of fragrance chemicals now used are synthesized. Some have counterparts in nature and others are creations of chemistry. There is no reliable way of determining when natural materials are used, as there is no legal definition of natural. Labeling indicating the use of natural materials may be no more than marketing propaganda. Both natural and synthetic materials may have both negative and positive health consequences. Many factors play a role in the properties of the chemicals used including source, isomer used, contaminants, and the delivery system. Properties of individual chemicals do not necessarily predict their effects in mixtures. Materials may have synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects. Fragrance chemicals are volatile compounds that get into the air and often linger. They are generally unstable and can break down in the presence of air, heat, and light. Modern formulations are potent, immediately powerful, and last a long time. Fragrance is added to most toiletries, personal care products, household cleaners, and laundry items. Individuals use multiple scented products on a daily basis. Some of scented product from each person ends up in the air. There is widespread exposure not only to the products used as an individual, but also to products used by others. The fragrance industry is actually not one industry but multiple industries with fragrance as an overlapping interest. This includes companies that produce, make or sell fragrance and flavors ingredients and companies that use them. Because of the diversity of the industry, it is difficult to accurately ascertain the full scope of the impact fragrance has on the economy, social aspects, health, and the environment. Multiple scented products are used on a daily basis through soaps, toiletries, laundry products, environmental fragrance, and other scented items. Even trash bags come in scented versions. Products such as pesticides contain fragrance to mask unpleasant odors. Tobacco products contain fragrance/flavors chemicals to enhance flavor. There are few areas of our lives that do not involve a product containing fragrance/flavors chemicals. Even the foods we eat contain many of the same chemicals as the scents we use. Marketing and sales of scented products target virtually every segment of the population. Even those not yet born are targeted through exposures to mothers-to-be. There is significant exposure to scented products not only from personal use, but also from products used in the environment and by others.
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