See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/267639341

Therapy Candle for illnesses

Article · July 2014

CITATIONS READS
0 657

1 author:

Alireza Yousefi
University of Zanjan
3 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Alireza Yousefi on 03 November 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Review
Therapy Candle for illnesses

Alireza Yousefi *
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Zanjan University, Zanjan, Iran;

Introduction
Candles are now a common decoration item in homes. Candles are primarily used
to create ambiance and relieve stress. we will and can use a variety of colors,
shapes, sizes, and type of candle. Colors will vary according to the purpose of the
ritual. Sizes should be appropriate to the task. A small, fast burning candle
wouldn‟t be appropriate for a seven-day ritual and a large, glass encased candle
may be over-kill for a quick one hour ritual. But remember, we can adapt any
candle to any purpose. If a need arises and we only have birthday candles, we can
successfully use them (Faraday, Michael 1960). It was only as late as the mid
nineteenth century that stearin and paraffin wax offered further high quality raw
materials available for the manufacture of candles alongside bees wax. During
the same period decisive improvements were made to wicks, in particular the
braiding techniques and chemical treatments. So further prerequisites for candles
that burnt well were fulfilled and Goethe‟s dream ´´ I know not what you could
invent better than candles that burn without smoking`` could be realised (J. W .v.
Goethe, Sprüche in Reimen; 1977).

Key words: Candles,ambiance,manufacture,Wax, paraffin, stearin.

What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the name given to a unique branch of herbal medicine that uses
the medicinal and therapeutic properties of the oils found in various plants. These
special oils are called essential oils and are incredibly potent. The name
“aromatherapy” is actually a little misleading, because it implies that the “aroma”
of essential oils is the primary healing agent. Actually, essential oils can be used in
many different ways: “The real beauty of aromatherapy is that the essences work
on a cellular and physical level, and also in the emotional, intellectual, spiritual,
and aesthetic areas of your life” (Aromatherapy J. Spring, 2013).
First, the scent fills the room, and can help create an intended atmosphere. This
becomes especially important when you‟re trying to affect the overall mood of a
space. Second, the “aroma” of aromatherapy is a bridge to very physiological
responses. When you breathe in a scent, your olfactory nerve cells send an
electrical message to the brain. This information from the olfactory nerve cells is
processed by the limbic system, “an area of the brain that initiates mood and
memory formation” (Bowles, pg. 12).

Wax
Candles are made up of one or more wicks surrounded by a solid material, the wax,
which can be burnt. The term „wax‟ coves a variety of different products of
mineral, animal or vegetable. Burn soy candles rather than oil based candles. Soy-
wax candles burn cleaner and slower, are non toxic and do not emit petrol-carbon
soot. Soy is both a renewable and a biodegradable resource. Beeswax candles are a
better choice than paraffin wax but often times a bees wax candle will contain
some paraffin wax. Beeswax candles produce a „cleaner burn‟compared to
paraffin wax –a petroleum product(Wax Company,Arlington Heights, IL, 2002).
These are mainly synthetic waxes from the polymer-chemistry branch e.g. poly
ethylene waxes and copolymers as well as high melt Fischer-Tropsch paraffin
waxes. To achieve special effects other natural waxes e.g. carnauba wax, montan
wax etc. are employed as additives. Colours, lacquers and fragrances complete the
range of materials used in candle production.

Potential for Paraffin

Paraffin wax is a mixture of straight-chain hydrocarbons that are formed as by
products during petroleum distillation. At room temperature, paraffin wax exists in
a solid state but its melting point varies widely depending on the ratio of
component hydrocarbons (Nasser WE. Waxes, 1999). There are two types of
paraffin wax described: low melt point paraffin has a melting point around 130oF
and is used in container candles because it tends to be amorphous at room
temperature; high melt point paraffin has a melting point >130oF and is used for
pillar candles since it is harder. Because most candles contain both types, the
melted wax should have a minimum temperature of 130oF. Additionally, paraffin
has a specific heat capacity of 2.5 joules per gram kelvin (Diracdelta.co.uk, 2007),
making it an excellent material to store heat. Application of any material at this
temperature to living tissues will generate thermal tissue injury and impair healing.
the reaction for Paraffin can be summarized by the following equation:

C25H52(g) + 38O2(g) → 25CO2(g) + 26H2O(g

These refined paraffin waxes are subject to constant quality controls and are
toxicologically harmless. Their environmentally compatible properties are
characterised by biodegradability as well as the lack of eco-toxic and bio-
accumulating properties.

Wick
The wick is mainly made up of braided cotton threads which are usually treated
with inorganic compositions. Long, fibrous cotton with a uniform structure
produces the best results. The fibres have a major influence on capillary action,
wick stance and ultimately the ability of the wick to self trim.The inorganic
elements of the wick treatment prevent after glow of the wick when it is
extinguished. The formation of a crystal skeleton after the chemical treatment
process increases the stability of the wick.Choose candles with thin, braided wicks.
Avoid candles with very thick wicks and those with a wire core holding the wick
upright.Wicks with metal down the middle are the most hazardous, as they contain
leadAvoid multiple wick candles (Wolfgang Weidenfeld,1983).

Scented and Fragrance candles

Materials used for aroma can be divided into two groups, essential oils/ plant
extracts or fragrant chemicals. Read the labels carefully before purchasing your
candles. Consumers can be fooled by product descriptions which lead them to
believe they are buying healthy, aromatherapy candles, when in reality the candle
is primarily a petroleum wax, with synthetic scent, synthetic fixatives and a small
amount of plant essential oil (Meta Studies,2012). Essential oils are extracted from
trees, shrubs and flowers from all over the world. It is not uncommon for candle
manufactures to combine artificial fragrances with essential oils, or to dilute the
essential oils with synthetic fragrance. Many synthetic fragrance chemicals can
pose a wide range of immediate and long-term health hazards. Up to 95 percent of
chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from
petroleum.Avoid aromatic candles. If you do use a scented candle make sure the
fragrance used was specifically formulated for candle use. Avoid wax that contains
volatile aromatic hydrocarbons.The evaluation of a candle fragrance, besides the
assumed fidelity of the odor character to the customer‟s expectations, hinges on
“cold throw” and “hot throw”. Cold throw is the impact of the fragrance in the
candle before burning. A candle is not customarily lit in a retail store; so a
purchaser almost invariably selects a candle based on its cold throw. It is crucial
that the fragrance balance emphasizes the top and the middle notes. Bottom notes,
often the most expensive part of a fragrance, have little place in a candle. Hot
throw is the odor impact when the candle is burning, particularly when the pool of
molten wax on the top has completely formed. The fragrance should give a strong
and characteristic odor, filling an average room with scent (Figure 1). It is essential
that the fragrance performs well in the customer base. Most candles are paraffin-
based. Paraffin is a complex mixture, and the detailed chemical composition of a
particular material is rarely available. The standard specifications for wax are
melting point and penetration. Changing suppliers of 1450F paraffin – based on the
assumption that all 1450F paraffins are essentially the same – has been the cause of
countless difficulties. The key determinants of paraffin chemistry are the source of
the petroleum oil and the refining process. Some oil fields have aromatic or cyclic
components, while others do not. Most paraffins are straight chains, but some
paraffins contain a significant amount of branched-chain compounds. The melting
point rises with increasing chain length, and branched chains are lower-melting
than straight chains. The boiling range, melting point, and paraffin composition
can all be controlled, in theory, to fairly tight specifications by the refining
operations, but rarely is the paraffin purchased by candle companies actually held
to these rigid standards (Faraday, Michael,1960).
 Figure 1. Schemaic candle

Regardless of the exact composition of the paraffin, the key fact is that paraffin is
non-polar. There are a few non-polar aroma chemicals, but the majority of the
fragrance ingredients have some polarity: aldehydes, esters and alcohols are a few
examples. The choice of solvent can also be used to adjust the flash point of the
fragrance, which is a critical factor for shipping.Besides solubility, the fragrance
must not adversely affect the burning characteristics.Burn tests are commonly
performed by manufacturers, both on new submissions and on each individual lot
of fragrance oil received for production. The flame must burn well both initially
and when relit. In a properly burning system, the paraffin will totally combust,
yielding carbon dioxide and water A special cut of mineral oil, having a high flash
point, was gelled. The composition is approximately 92% mineral oil and 8%
polymer. Fragrances, which have specific solubility and flash point characteristics,
are specified. The fragrances non-polar must be completely soluble in mineral oil
in blends of 25% fragrance and 75% mineral oil, and 75% fragrance and 25%
mineral oil.

Soot
Soot is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels, usually
petroleum-based. Soot results from use of candles and other indoor combustible
materials like incense, potpourri and oil lamps. Soot particles are very small and
are easily inhaled and deposited deep in the lungs. Soot discolours walls and
furniture, and makes its way into the ventilation system in your home. The very
young, the elderly and those with respiratory diseases like asthma should avoid
exposure to candle soot. In order to obtain the romantic bright yellow and white
light, candle flames produce soot. If there was such a thing as a a soot-free candle,
it would produce a blue flame similar to those seen from a gas stove (Asthma
Society of Canada.com).

colores
The addition of color increases the potential stability problems. Generally, these
colors contain nitrogen in the form of an azo bond (–N=N–), which can react with
aroma chemicals. Stray metal contamination can also come from the wick, wick
tab, a poor grade of wax, or iron present in the processing equipment. Dark
perfume oils, usually yellow, orange or amber, when incorporated at 5%, can add
significant color to a base, making a blue into a green or a white candle yellow.
Light, either from the sun, fluorescence or UV, can trigger unwanted color
reactions. UV absorbers, chelating agents and antioxidants, alone or in
combination, may eliminate or alleviate some unwanted reactions – sometimes.
Raw material studies on the fragrance in the colored base may be necessary
(National Candle Association, 2002). Titan which is used to stabilize the color of
the candle. Liquid dye provides you with a solution to the color accuracy problem,
but all liquid dye that I have ever had any experience with does have a slight
chemical smell to it. Therefore, we do not use liquid dye when we need to produce
rich colors. Resistant colored resin and pigments increased of silicon, aluminum
(resistant up to 400 ° C).

odor
The chemical interactions with hair provide an additional source of odor problems.
Permanent waves have a severe base odor, both in product and in use. The
characteristic smell comes from such as thioglycolates, usually ammonium
thioglycolate (C2H4O2S·H3N) or glyceryl thioglycolate (2).

Figure 2.formula glyceryl thioglycolate

No fragrance can mask the odor completely. Sagarin and Balsam published the
basic reference (Sagarin, E. and Balsam, M. 1956).concerning perfume materials in
these bases in 1956, offering data on 200 aroma chemicals, and surprisingly little
information has since been published. Sagarin and Balsam found it impossible to
draw conclusions based solely on structure. Aldehydes would be expected to react
with thioglycolates, but some proved stable, such as methyl nonyl acetaldehyde.
Some materials mask but do not retain their odor value; cinnamon oil and
citronellal change odor but have good masking ability. Phenylethyl alcohol
maintains its character but covers poorly. Some materials can maintain odor and
coverage but exhibit other problems, such as trichlorostyralyl acetate, which is
useful, except for the deep yellow color it produces.The odor stability and
coverage achieved by blends of aroma chemicals are hard to predict. Some
materials perform better in mixtures; others require careful blending to be
effective. Certain materials that tested well, such as cade oil and methyl
acetophenone, are unpleasant by themselves and must be carefully added in small
proportions to be useful. An approach to reducing the thioglycolate odor was
disclosed in US patent 5,554,363 (Nandagiri, A., Solka, B.H. and Kocis, J.A.1996).
In 1888, Bongartz observed that thioglycolic acid combines with benzaldehyde
over a span of a few hours, and with cinnamic aldehyde in minutes,with the release
of significant heat. The patent builds on these observations. It specifies
benzaldehyde, methyl hydrocinnamic aldehyde, and mixtures of the two, for being
more reactive with the cysteamine reducing agent, than with the aldehydes that
naturally occur in hair. The reducing agent thus attacks the fragrance aldehydes
rather than the hair aldehydes, resulting in reduced odor during the permanent
waving process.Today is some produce a characteristic odor of alcohol
ethoxylates, HLB(23.5 / 6) used.

Burning the candle

Burning petroleum based candles release pollutants such as benzene, styrene,
toluene, acetone and particulate matter into the air. Candle soot contains many of
the same compounds given off from burning diesel fuel.Scented candles give off
odours that often aggravate asthma symptoms. Monitor asthma symptoms closely.
Do not use candles when asthma symptoms are present. Candles that are not
properly manufactured, or that contain quantities of fragranced oils that are not
suitable for combustion can add to indoor to indoor pollution (Asthma Society of
Canada.com). Even though candles are used in many cases as decorative ornaments
for rooms, the use as a source of light remains the ´real use` for the consumer. The
criteria of the flammability of the wick makes special quality demands on the
burning mass with relation to the burning process(temperature, combustion
products). Crystal salt releases negative ions and there by regulate the heart,
adrenal, glands, and the thyroid.Hence it can be said rock salt air vitamin
manufacturer.

Conclusion
Color therapy is widely used in both mainstream mental health fields and in
metaphysics. Different colors radiate at different frequencies and have specific
effects on our minds and bodies.It is also important for clients to be confident that
the substances used in the manufacture of their candles such as additives, fragrance
and colorants are safe.We advise them to perform a toxicological assessment
which Intertek can also offer. The most important objective for setting up quality
standards for the candle is the protection of the consumer. For this reason the
preparation of such quality standards must be approached from the viewpoint of
the consumer.

REFERENCES
International Masters Publishers, Inc. (IMP); (2003).Enhancing Your Mind Body Spirit, Section
1 (Aromatherapy).
Nasser WE. Waxes,(1999).Natural and SyntheticIn McKetta, John J. Encyclopedia of Chemical
Processing and Design. New York: Marcel Dekker.67: 17.
Diracdelta.co.uk, (2007).Science and Engineering Encyclopedia. Dirac Delta Consultants Ltd,
Warwick, England.
www.Asthma Society of Canada.com.
Bonadeo, I. et al. (1980) Hydrophilic properties of aromatics. Int. J. Cos. Sci., 2, 215–229.
Sagarin, E. and Balsam, M. (1956) The behavior of perfume materials in thioglycolate
hairwaving preparations. JSCC, 6, 480–486.
Nandagiri, A., Solka, B.H. and Kocis, J.A. (1996) Method of reducing malodors in permanent
waving. US Pat. 5 554 363.
MetaStudies (2012). InstituteBurns, AnitaPublished in the U.S.A.
Faraday, Michael (1960).The Chemical History of a Candle. The Viking Press: New York, NY.
National Candle Association,(2002).Candle Making and Ingredients.
Hase Petroleum Wax Company, Arlington Heights, IL,(2002). Wax Product List – Petroleum &
Natural Wax Products.
Aromatherapy Journal Spring( 2013).
J. W .v. Goethe, Sprüche in Reimen;(1977). proverbial 1815 taken from R. Büll; „Das große
Buchvom Wachs“ Verlag Georg o.W. Callwey Bd.2/ 562.
Lau C., Fiedler H., Hutzinger O., Schwind K.H., Hosseinpour J.,( 1997).Levels of selected
 organic compounds in materials for candle production and human exposure to candle
emissions“ Chemosphere 34 (5-7), 1623-1630.
Wolfgang Weidenfeld (1983)."Wichtige Kriterien bei der Herstellung von Qualitätskerzen",
Verlag für chemische Industrie H. Ziolkowsky GmbH, Augsburg.

View publication stats