Acrolein

Acrolein is a colorless, volatile, highly reactive aldehyde with a pungent odor. It forms during combustion and is also manufactured for industrial use.

Aldehyde: An organic compound containing a carbonyl group bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. Acrolein is an unsaturated aldehyde, combining this functional group with a carbon–carbon double bond.
Combustion: A high-temperature chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant that releases heat and often light. Incomplete combustion of organic material produces acrolein in smoke and exhaust.
Acrylic acid: An unsaturated carboxylic acid used as a feedstock for polymers and chemical products. Acrolein is oxidized industrially to make acrylic acid.
Respiratory irritant: A substance that inflames or irritates tissues of the respiratory tract when inhaled. Acrolein strongly irritates the eyes and airways, even at relatively low concentrations.
Michael addition: A reaction in which a nucleophile adds to an electron-poor carbon–carbon double bond. Acrolein’s double bond accepts nucleophiles, enabling it to react with cellular thiols.
Tobacco smoke: The aerosol produced when tobacco burns, containing gases and particles from combustion and tobacco constituents. Acrolein is one of the toxic irritants measured in tobacco smoke.
Methionine: An essential sulfur-containing amino acid used in proteins and animal-feed supplements. Acrolein is used as a starting material in one industrial route to methionine.
Occupational exposure: Contact with chemical, physical, or biological hazards arising from work activities. Industrial handling can expose workers to acrolein through inhalation or skin contact.
Glutathione: A small cellular antioxidant peptide that helps maintain redox balance and detoxify reactive compounds. Glutathione can bind acrolein, but extensive exposure can deplete the cell’s reserves.
Wildfire smoke: A mixture of gases and particles released when vegetation and other material burn in wildfires. Burning vegetation can emit acrolein alongside other hazardous air pollutants.

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