Thymol olfactory abuse

Coffee, tannic acid, and ferric ammonium citrate solutions get moldy after a while. And I got tired of C̸̝̖̝̣͓̈́̈́H̶̢͎́̿̂̋͘͜U̶͙̭̜̫̪͓̇̈́͐͗̏̚N̷̖̘͈͔͉̺̄K̸̩̺̫̖̻̤̊̀̈̊S̷͚͖̰̻̠̃̅̾́ being poured into my trays... so I decided to buy some thymol crystals as recommended by various sources to kill mold growth. By some thymol, I mean a pound of it from eBay because it was the same price or cheaper than smaller amounts elsewhere.


I knew this stuff was going to have a smell. I knew it was going to be a strong smell. I did not anticipate how persistent or pervasive this smell would be. It's like irrigating your nose with Listerine. The crystals are in a ziplock bag, stored in a plastic tub with lid, sealed in another ziplock bag. And my basement still smells like some old doctors office. The odor is radiating off this multi sealed vessel like it was radioactive and I suspect the molecules that make up thymol can permeate certain plastics.

My hands also still smell of Listerine FROM JUST TOUCHING THE INNER BAG! It won't wash off and it has been a few hours now. Now I get to enjoy this scent every time I bring food to my face...

I've since sealed my thymol in a lidded hardware store bucket. If that doesn't work I guess I'm putting it in the garage.

I just didn't want my solutions getting moldy cause it's gross. Instead I've probably sanitize the bronchioles of my family.

No real purpose to this post other than being a warning for others. I posted this in the alternative process forum since this is loosely related to the chemistry for those processes.

Where did you get the stuff? I would get it gone in a responsible fashion.

Try storing it in wide mouth glass jars.

Perhaps there is a reason that Thymol is a regulated substance in Canada, mostly only legally available to beekeepers with special certifications ......

MattKing said:

Perhaps there is a reason that Thymol is a regulated substance in Canada, mostly only legally available to beekeepers with special certifications ......

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I'm assuming this is the relevant document.


Looks like it's use is restricted as a pesticide presumably for environmental factors. It's considered "generally safe" by the FDA and is approved in low concentrations for disinfectants and flavoring.

In high concentrations it is labeled as corrosive, acutely toxic and an irritant when ingested, exposure dermal contact, or inhaled (dust).

I read through the safety data sheet for the material and the real standouts are keeping it out of your eyes and away from heat.

In the US (I know, I know...) it's easily available online and appears to be commonly sold to the essential oil hobbyists or the folks who like making "natural" cleaning and personal care products. Here is a listing from Amazon that perhaps should have some warning labels regarding the irritant and corrosive nature of the product.


This is where I sources it from. Looks like the price went up too.

I'm any case. I was aware of the toxicity component and didn't consider it any more concerning than some of the other chemistry I possess for darkroom and printmaking purposes. Mostly just shocked by the inability to contain and escape the smell. I'm assuming the supplier should have used a different form of container. It is also occuring to me that our poor postal workers probably got to experience the fragrance in their trucks.

Update: Bucket was unnecessary. The second bag around the container seems to have worked. It was the document that was shipped with the container that was still a source of fragrance to which I have since sealed up.

cirwin2010 said:

Update: Bucket was unnecessary. The second bag around the container seems to have worked. It was the document that was shipped with the container that was still a source of fragrance to which I have since sealed up.

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Either that or the olfactory epithelium is traumatised

Nicholas Lindan said:

Try storing it in wide mouth glass jars.

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How might that help? I'd have thought that the wider the mouth the more of its smell gets out?

pentaxuser

Thymol degrades in the natural environment in 1-2 weeks so it is considered a safe alternative to more aggressive pesticides.

Any aromatic terpene at such a high concentration is going to be aggressive on your nose.

I wonder if it would have worked better just to buy a small dropper jar of thyme essential oil/tincture, unless you really need such a large and concentrated supply of it.

loccdor said:

Thymol degrades in the natural environment in 1-2 weeks so it is considered a safe alternative to more aggressive pesticides.

Any aromatic terpene at such a high concentration is going to be aggressive on your nose.

I wonder if it would have worked better just to buy a small dropper jar of thyme essential oil/tincture, unless you really need such a large and concentrated supply of it.

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Might have been. Just wanted the raw stuff so I didn't have any unknowns. Did not need a pound of it for sure, just was the same price as smaller amounts with shipping so I thought why not. Oops.

pentaxuser said:

How might that help? I'd have thought that the wider the mouth the more of its smell gets out?

pentaxuser

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I think the idea is the smell won't penetrate the glass.

cirwin2010 said:

Update: Bucket was unnecessary. The second bag around the container seems to have worked. It was the document that was shipped with the container that was still a source of fragrance to which I have since sealed up.

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I'm glad you got this sorted out.

I bought 25 g of thymol more than a decade ago and still have most of it left despite using it regularly... a little goes a long way! Maybe consider giving away small portions to other local alt process practitioners as you have found shipping is many time most costly than the compound itself.

My stock is kept in its original container (a typical jar that chemicals come in). This container is stored in a closed cabinet and I do not notice a thymol odor when the door is opened. Thus, I don't think that storing thymol requires any special precautions.

I also keep a 10%(w/v) stock solution in i-propanol (rubbing alcohol) in a typical dropper bottle. Again, there is no noticeable odor coming from the closed bottle. My current 100 mL batch of this solution is dated almost two years ago and there is still maybe 25 or 30 mL left. Again, a little goes a long way!

Oil of cinnamon is also suppose to keep the mold away, if one does not like the smell of thyme.

Secretly tuck 25 grams a week in your garbage (in a well sealed container, maybe in a secluded industrial site).