4 ms·

Always loved the smell of ink in books and graphic novels. Often times the first thing I do when I have a new book is just open it halfway and burry my nose in

Always loved the smell of ink in books and graphic novels. Often times the first thing I do when I have a new book is just open it halfway and burry my nose in between the pages. Maybe it is a fetish? Hmmm. Never thought of that. I also always enjoyed smelling the gas at gas stations when I was a kid, would open the window. I do wonder if it's a psychological thing, or if there is really some chemical substance that is slightly addictive.

fuzzfactor 3y ago
>What chemicals cause that nostalgic old book smell? >Compounds like benzaldehyde, vanillin, ethylbenzene, and 2-ethyl hexanol are often responsible for old book scents. Benzaldehyde has an almond-like scent, vanillin smells like vanilla, ethylbenzene is sweet and plastic-y, and 2-ethyl hexanol is lightly floral. All of these are chemicals having very characteristic strong odors in their pure form, and can be somewhat overwhelming. Ethylbenzene is an Aromatic hydrocarbon normally found in major concentrations in some paints and thinners, and industrial felt-tip markers containing the xylene-based inks which are flammable, toxic and can make you dizzy breathing too much. 2-Ethylhexanol smells even worse, it's really rough. If you get one drop on your foot, you're going to want to leave your shoes outside when you get home. These kind of things just smell unique and are detectable in such low concentrations, plus can form a type of barely perceptible "bouquet" that imprints well enough to guide a potential effort toward its elusive source. I would have to estimate the dose makes the poison like so many other things. Freshly printed publications seem to have more solvent offgassing than aged materials.
- AltruisticGapHN 3y ago
  Now that reminds me also of the glue that we used in secondary school and also art school. Smelling it would definitely give a little high/dizzy feeling, whereas smelling the air at the gastation for me is more of a dopamine kick.
- kortex 3y ago
  > 2-Ethylhexanol smells even worse, it's really rough. If you get one drop on your foot, you're going to want to leave your shoes outside when you get home. I find it really fascinating the differences in subjective experience of various smells. Personally I find 2-EH to be sweet, almost sickly sweet but not overpowering, floral and vaguely fruity. It's not directly nice, like vanillin, but it's not bad, like pyridine or butyric acid.

fuzzfactor 3y ago

>What chemicals cause that nostalgic old book smell? >Compounds like benzaldehyde, vanillin, ethylbenzene, and 2-ethyl hexanol are often responsible for old book scents. Benzaldehyde has an almond-like scent, vanillin smells like vanilla, ethylbenzene is sweet and plastic-y, and 2-ethyl hexanol is lightly floral. All of these are chemicals having very characteristic strong odors in their pure form, and can be somewhat overwhelming. Ethylbenzene is an Aromatic hydrocarbon normally found in major concentrations in some paints and thinners, and industrial felt-tip markers containing the xylene-based inks which are flammable, toxic and can make you dizzy breathing too much. 2-Ethylhexanol smells even worse, it's really rough. If you get one drop on your foot, you're going to want to leave your shoes outside when you get home. These kind of things just smell unique and are detectable in such low concentrations, plus can form a type of barely perceptible "bouquet" that imprints well enough to guide a potential effort toward its elusive source. I would have to estimate the dose makes the poison like so many other things. Freshly printed publications seem to have more solvent offgassing than aged materials.

AltruisticGapHN 3y ago
Now that reminds me also of the glue that we used in secondary school and also art school. Smelling it would definitely give a little high/dizzy feeling, whereas smelling the air at the gastation for me is more of a dopamine kick.
kortex 3y ago
> 2-Ethylhexanol smells even worse, it's really rough. If you get one drop on your foot, you're going to want to leave your shoes outside when you get home. I find it really fascinating the differences in subjective experience of various smells. Personally I find 2-EH to be sweet, almost sickly sweet but not overpowering, floral and vaguely fruity. It's not directly nice, like vanillin, but it's not bad, like pyridine or butyric acid.