Toluene (in Cigs)
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Toluene is one of many chemicals found in cigarettes.
Toluene, which is also known as methylbenzene or phenylmethane, is a clear, water-insoluble liquid that smells of paint thinners, see also Turpentine. Toluene has many industrial uses, including:
- as an octane booster in fuel,
- a solvent in paints, and
- in paint thinners,
- for printing,
- in adhesives and lacquers,
- for leather tanning,
- in disinfectants, and
- to produce phenol and TNT.
Toluene is also used in the embalming of corpses.
Toluene is believed to be a developmental toxicant, and is also suspected of being hazardous to health in other ways, including:
- as a cardiovascular or blood toxicant
- as a gastrointestinal or liver toxicant
- an immunotoxicant
- kidney toxicant
- neurotoxicant
- reproductive toxicant
- respiratory toxicant, and
- as a skin toxicant.
Note that the list of chemicals included in this section (see the list on the left) is not a complete list of all the substances found in cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.
