What's so bad about paraffin wax?
Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, coal, or shale oil, it has been found to contain known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) such as benzene. Researchers at SCSU found that melting paraffin wax-based candles emitted toxic toluene and benzene,.
Toluene is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid that occurs naturally in crude oil. It is emitted from gasoline fumes, vehicle exhausts, and cigarette smoke. Toluene is used as a solvent to make paint products, nail polish, lacquers, glue, and adhesives. Benzene is also a colorless liquid derived from natural gas & crude oil that is used as a solvent.
How do these ingredients affect your body? Here are a few medical issues that have arisen:
1. Have you ever lite a candle, and shortly after you started getting painful headaches or migraines? If your candle is made of paraffin wax, the headache could be because of the toluene found in the paraffin. The chemical toluene found in paraffin wax mainly affects the central nervous system in the brain. Toluene enters your body when it evaporates into the air that you breathe.
2. The American Cancer Society reports that benzene is known to cause cancer. Rates of leukemia—particularly acute myeloid leukemia—have been found to be higher in studies of workers exposed to high levels of benzene, such as those in the chemical, shoemaking, and oil-refining industries.
3. The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that toluene exposure through inhalation or skin contact can cause long-term damage to the kidneys.
4. Inhalation of toluene—and subsequent distribution throughout the bloodstream—can also cause effects to the fetus in pregnant women.
5. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), excessive exposure to benzene has been known for more than a century to damage the bone marrow, resulting in decreasing numbers of circulating blood cells and, ultimately, anemia. The American Cancer Society reports that benzene has been shown to cause chromosome changes in bone marrow cells in the lab.
6. Acute exposure to toluene vapor can irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. With repeated exposure, the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry reports that accumulation of fluid in the lungs and respiratory arrest may ensue.
7. Paraffin wax is the nasty by-product of gas and oil refineries with potentially severe consequences. Researchers at South Carolina State University found that two harmful chemicals, toluene & benzene, are released into the air when melting paraffin wax-based candles. The Centers for Disease Control performed a study that found that chronic toluene exposure at less than 200 parts per million (ppm) has been associated with headache, fatigue, and nausea. Workers repeatedly exposed at 200 to 500 ppm have reported a loss of coordination, memory, and appetite.