In a 2009 study, researchers at the University of South Carolina claimed that burning candles made from paraffin released harmful substances such as toluene and benzene, which are implicated in the development of asthma and lung cancer. Some research suggests that the combustion of paraffin wax releases harmful substances into the air with the smoke. To turn paraffin into candles, it is usually dyed (with chemical dyes), perfumed (with synthetic, petrochemical essential oils), poured into a mould, packaged and shipped to customers. Nowadays, petroleum-based paraffin wax can be found not only in candles but in waxed papers, varnishes, cosmetics and many other commercial articles. It is worth noting here that, contrary to misconceptions, only candles made from fully-refined paraffin are sold today, and only this type of wax can be bought in craft shops to make your own candles. Partially-refined paraffin contains more crude oil and thus more substances that are harmful to health, while fully-refined contains less crude oil and toxins. Paraffin wax can be fully-refined and partially-refined. When making paraffin, the crude oil undergoes a dewaxing process to extract the paraffin, which is further purified by various chemical and physical processes after which it still needs to be bleached. When it was poured again to make candles, it produced them with a low melting point and they burned for a long time. The paraffin candle itself was discovered by scientists experimenting with petroleum oil in the second half of the 1800s, when they noticed that cooled petroleum solidified. It is in fact a by-product of the petroleum refining process. To understand this material thoroughly, we have to know what exactly paraffin is. But as with anything else, there are some pros and cons to paraffin wax candles, so let's take a look at those! Paraffin is easy to pour, cheap, it provides long burning times and it takes and holds colours and fragrances very well. Nowadays, paraffin wax is one of the most common materials used in commercially available candles.
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