Definition of the word naphthalene

The word "naphthalene" comes from the Greek words "nabbus" meaning ink, and "thanatos" meaning death. In the mid-19th century, naphthalene was first synthesized as a yellow solid by Michel-Eugène Chevreul, a French chemist. Initially, it was used as a stain for textiles and as a starting material for the production of other chemicals. However, it wasn't until the 1860s that the insecticidal properties of naphthalene were discovered by a German chemist, Carl Friedrich Gerhardt. He found that naphthalene could repel insects and was subsequently used to preserve fabrics and materials. In fact, naphthalene production grew rapidly in the early 20th century because of its use as a moth repellent. The name "naphthalene" was given to the compound due to its chemical structure, which resembles that of naphthol, a chemical used as a dye in inking. The suffix "-ene" was added to indicate that it was a hydrocarbon, specifically an aromatic hydrocarbon, which has a characteristic smoky odor due to its volatility. While naphthalene has still found some wide-scale use today, especially as a component in mothballs and insecticide formulations, newer pesticides have largely replaced it due to concerns over its toxicity to humans and the environment.