Herbal and wood powders used in incense making include Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. While the exact content of incense sticks is a commercial secret, most incense is made from a combination of fragrant gums, resins, wood powders, herbs and spices.Ī typical composition of stick incense consists of 21% (by weight) of herbal and wood powder, 35% of fragrance material, 11% of adhesive powder, and 33% of bamboo stick. However, the physical characteristics of these incenses, such as length and diameter of the bamboo stick (average 39.5 and 0.4 cm, respectively), length and diameter of the incense coated part (average 28.5 and 2.7 cm, respectively), and weight of the whole stick (average 1.3 gm), are very similar. Lin).ĭepending on its makers and local custom, incense sticks have several commercially available types, such as Chen Shan (Shan means incense), Gui Shan, Hsing Shan, Lao Shan, and Liao Shan. Major forms of incense are shown, including powder, coil, cone, joss stick, and stick. If household incense burning is included, the incense consumption in Taiwan may even double or triple that estimated amount and it may indicate an environmental hazardous situation.įorms of incense. During the Lunar New Year and other religious festivals, a huge amount of incense is burned in temples (Figure (Figure1). It is estimated that at least a total of 3,580 tons of incense is consumed yearly in the temples in Taiwan. Currently, there are 11,503 registered temples in Taiwan. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency in Taiwan reported that a total of 28.7 metric tons of incense was burned in 92 temples in Kao-Hsiong City. The people in Taiwan also worship with incenses at temples regularly. Most of them burn incense daily when they worship at home. In Taiwan, about half of its population (23 million) is Buddhist or Taoist. In Asian countries where the Buddhism and Taoism are mainstream religions, such as China, Thailand, and Taiwan, incense burning is a daily practice. Elsewhere in both Eastern and Western Catholic Christendom, its use during divine worship and during processions has been continuous. Later, incense was employed sporadically in the Church of England. Early Christian churches used incense in the Eucharistic ceremony, in which it symbolized the ascent of the prayers of the faithful and the merits of the saints. Incense burning has been practiced for centuries. In order to prevent airway disease and other health problem, it is advisable that people should reduce the exposure time when they worship at the temple with heavy incense smokes, and ventilate their house when they burn incense at home.Įncyclopedia Britannica states that incense was employed to counteract disagreeable odors, drive away demons, manifest the presence of gods, and to gratify gods. Incense smoke also has been associated with neoplasm and extracts of particulate matter from incense smoke are found to be mutagenic in the Ames Salmonella test with TA98 and activation. Incense smoke is a risk factor for elevated cord blood IgE levels and has been indicated to cause allergic contact dermatitis. When incense smoke pollutants are inhaled, they cause respiratory system dysfunction. The air pollution in and around various temples has been documented to have harmful effects on health. Incense burning also produces volatile organic compounds, such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes, as well as aldehydes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The gas products from burning incense include CO, CO 2, NO 2, SO 2, and others. On average, incense burning produces particulates greater than 45 mg/g burned as compared to 10 mg/g burned for cigarettes. Incense smoke (fumes) contains particulate matter (PM), gas products and many organic compounds. A typical composition of stick incense consists of 21% (by weight) of herbal and wood powder, 35% of fragrance material, 11% of adhesive powder, and 33% of bamboo stick. In Asian countries where the Buddhism and Taoism are mainstream religions, incense burning is a daily practice.
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