Citation

Ambre J, Ruo TI, Smith-Coggins R. Ann. Emerg. Med. 1986; 15(6): 724-726.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, American College of Emergency Physicians, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3706864

Abstract

We describe three analytical procedures that can be used to distinguish naphthalene from the less toxic mothball component paradichlorobenzene. An initial presumptive identification can be made by noting the characteristic aroma of the two substances. This can be followed by one of the three analytical tests, each of which is simple to perform, gives an answer in seconds to minutes, and is definitive enough to eliminate the need for costly additional testing at an analytical reference laboratory. These tests have as additional advantages that the endpoints are dramatic and the reagents are commonly available.