Health and Environmental Risks of Incense Smoke: Mechanistic Insights and Cumulative Evidence

Abstract

Incense burning is practiced alongside many sacred rituals across different regions of the world. Invariable constituents of incense brands are 21% (by weight) herbal and wood powder, 33% bamboo stick, 35% fragrance material, and 11% adhesive powder. Major incense-combustion outputs include particulate matter (PM), volatile organic content, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The relative toxicity of these products is an implicit function of particle size and incomplete combustion, which in turn vary for a specific incense brand. Lately, the attention given to the Air Quality Index by international regulatory bodies has created concern about mounting PM toxicity. The uncharacteristically small physical dimensions of these entities complicates their detection, and with no effect of gravity PM fractions rapidly contribute to oxidative stress, enhancing random biochemical reactions upon being inhaled. Incense burning generates four times the PM extent (45 mg•g −1 ) of cigarettes (~10 mg•g −1 ). Several poisonous gases, such as CO, CO 2 , NO 2 , and SO 2 , and the unavoidable challenge of disposing of the burnt incense ash further add to the toxicity. Taken together, these issues demonstrate that incense burning warrants prompt attention. The aim of this article is to highlight the toxicity of incense-combustion materials on the environment and human health. This discussion could be significant in framing future policy regarding ecofriendly incense manufacture and reduced usage.

Characterizing PM2.5 Emissions and Temporal Evolution of Organic Composition from Incense Burning in a California Residence

“…31,38 DEP is the only phthalate plasticizer that has been reported to be used as a binder ingredient for incense production in India. 17,68 In the present work, although DEP was enhanced in incense filter samples, there was no real-time association with airborne particles during incense burning experiments (Figure 4) when compared to similar higher volatility indoor SVOCs. For other plasticizers and SVOCs discussed, the gas-particle phase partitioning behavior presented in this work, and supported by SVOC measurements in prior indoor studies, provides substantial evidence that these SVOCs largely originate from other residential indoor sources, rather than directly from incense emissions.…”

Experimental analysis of rGO coated eFBG sensor for the detection of harmful smokes

“…In comparison to using refills or sticks, the smoke produced by the coil arrangement is more consistent over time. Because of this, incense could be used more effectively by adapting to the user's context [4].…”

“…The amount of PM produced by burning incense is four times higher (45 mg/g) than that of cigarettes (10 mg/g), and other toxic chemicals, including SO2, NO2, CO2, and CO are also produced. Together, these problems show that cigarette and incense burning need immediate attention [4]. Optical fiber is one of the most versatile components which is used in many sectors in these days commonly in biomedical, mines, sensors, communications etc [5][6].…”

Deleterious Effect of Air Pollution on Human Microbial Community and Bacterial Flora: A Short Review

“…The altered composition of beneficial bacteria residing in the nasal sinus cavity was found to be associated with Parkinson’s disease [ 35 ]. Growing evidence suggests that particulate air pollutants (PM 2.5 , PM 10 ) may alter the nasal bacterial community [ 36 , 37 ].…”