In the summer, especially during the rainy season, the humidity and temperature are ideal for egg reproduction. Housewives inevitably store moth-proof products in their wardrobes to ensure safety. However, few people realize that the substances emitted by camphor balls enter the body through clothing and skin, causing significant harm. People are accustomed to using camphor balls in various shapes—such as camphor balls, moth-proof scents, net bag blocks, hanging aromatic cakes, synthetic camphor, etc.—which are extracted from petroleum or coal tar. They are colorless, transparent, flammable hydrocarbons with a distinctive aromatic smell, processed into various moth-proof products. Their main components include dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and synthetic camphor. They have strong volatility and also possess certain toxicity.
Spices containing dichlorobenzene and naphthalene are classified as pesticide products. They are generally used for preventing moth damage in industrial or agricultural products. They should not be used in household items. Numerous studies have shown that benzene compounds pose significant risks to human health. Therefore, the World Health Organization has designated them as strong carcinogens.
Anti-moth products that primarily consist of camphor balls on the market today contain these ingredients, but merchants conceal this fact for profit. Even though it is known that such products are harmful to the human body, they still claim that they are low-toxic or do not contain toxic components. No matter what branding the merchants use, the toxic substances in the raw materials remain unchanged.
Lu Shuyu, Director of the Shanghai Radiation Management Institute, said: “The content of p-dichlorobenzene in mothproof agents is over 95%. It is a toxic volatile organic compound. Prolonged exposure to humans can cause symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, skin allergies, and numbness in the limbs. Excessive use can also lead to lung dysfunction, liver damage, and respiratory irritation. In severe cases, it may even cause cancer.” Jin Xipeng, a professor of toxicology at the School of Public Health of Fudan University, has conducted specialized research on the toxicity of p-dichlorobenzene. He believes that even when using p-dichlorobenzene for mothproofing, caution should be exercised, especially when protecting the elderly and children. Since p-dichlorobenzene can be inhaled through the respiratory tract, consuming contaminated food or direct skin contact with it can also result in poisoning. According to him, extensive experimental studies on p-dichlorobenzene began abroad in the late 1940s. It is considered to have hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects, affects the thyroid, and is definitely carcinogenic in animals—though questionable for humans. In markets of developed countries such as the United States and Japan, p-dichlorobenzene and synthetic mothballs as mothproof agents are rarely found. In 1995, a paper by Lu Kezhu and others from the Labor Health Teaching and Research Section of Shanghai Medical University, published in the 11th volume, 9th issue of the Chinese Journal of Public Health, stated: “It can be shown that p-dichlorobenzene is hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic, and may also damage the thyroid... it is definitely an animal carcinogen.” In 1996, a paper by Xu Dandan from the Environmental Health Testing Institute of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, published in the Health Section of Foreign Medical Sciences, titled “Toxic Effects and Carcinogenicity of P-DCB,” stated: “Acute or short-term exposure to P-DCB causes respiratory irritation, skin allergic purpura, and glomerulonephritis. Long-term exposure for several months to 15 years can affect the lungs and central nervous system, and damage the liver.”
The third issue of 2005 of Hefei’s “Luzhou Home” magazine emphasizes this point, warning people to be aware of the healthy aromatic killer “benzene”. Benzene is the most important aromatic hydrocarbon; compounds related to benzene include alkylbenzes (cleaning agents), dyes, pesticides, mothballs, plastics, and more. Numerous facts confirm that various aromatic mothballs and pest control agents are harmful to humans. They must never be used as anti-moth treatments for household items such as wardrobes, furniture, and books.
Update time：20260618082045
