Ester

- Any of a class of organic compounds that react with water to produce alcohols and organic or
inorganic acids. Esters derived from carboxylic acids are the most common.
Esters fall within the category of  oleochemicals, meaning they are
naturally-derived  chemicals rather than synthetic, potentially harmful ones.
An ester is a compound formed from the condensation reaction that occurs
when a carboxylic acid and an alcohol combine. The exact combination of
the type of alcohol and the type of carboxylic acid will determine which
ester is produced.
There is a wide array of possibilities. For example, when the acid in the
combination is a fatty acid, the result is a fatty acid ester. We can get more
specific by looking at the exact makeup of certain esters. For instance, the
ester Triolein is derived from glycerol and three units of oleic acid.

Esters can be found all throughout the natural world. They are known for
producing a range of pleasant fragrances and flavors. They occur naturally
in many foods, such as fruit, and in alcoholic beverages. Triesters,
molecules that contain three ester groups, occur in nature as oils and fats.

While chemists may be concerned with exactly how these compounds are
formed and their molecular makeup, manufacturers tend to be more
concerned with the practical applications of esters.

The food industry has long understood the value of esters and has used, and
continues to use, them in a variety of products. Esters can help enhance
flavor and are especially useful as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers are
surfactants, meaning they reduce surface tension between two immiscible
liquids, such as water and oil, thereby stabilizing the mixture. Esters can
also improve the texture of many food products, including low-fat liquids
which may lack enough viscosity without the standard amount of fat.

While esters have been primarily used in the food industry, they are also
useful in many other arenas, including personal care, pharmaceuticals,
agriculture, metal treatment and lubricants. The diversity of these industries
is a testament to just how useful esters can be.
Concern over the toxicity of plasticizers arose in the late 1990s, largely focused around adverse
developmental and reproductive effects. More recently, many studies have demonstrated that
exposure to plasticizers increases the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease (CVD)
Inhalation of the fumes from some esters irritates the mucous membranes. Carboxylic esters
have low to moderate toxicity via dermal and oral exposure. Some esters are used as
flavoring agents in foodstuffs. The pyrophosphate esters (such as tetraethyl pyrophosphate) are
highly toxic.

Can Ester-C cause headaches?

Nervous system side effects have included dizziness, faintness, fatigue, and headache
in less than 1% of patients. Migraine headache has also been reported.

Ethyl Ester can irritate the nose, throat and lungs causing coughing, wheezing and/or shortness
of breath.
A short table is given below. It is interesting to note that while esters are fragrant and
responsible for many flavors, the alcohols and carboxylic acids that comprise them, as
aforementioned, are toxic to the body.

While soaps and surfactants differ in their composition and cleaning

chemistry, their health hazards are similar. Both can disrupt lipid
membranes that protect cells, and this causes irritation to skin, eyes,
and respiratory systems.
Why is solvents considered hazardous?
Solvents can be highly volatile and may explode or catch fire if stored or handled
incorrectly. Welding near solvents can present a risk of fire and explosion. Toxic gases
like phosgene may be generated in the presence of halogenated solvents.

Different solvents can affect your health in different ways. High airborne concentrations of some
solvents can cause unconsciousness and death. Exposure to lower levels of solvents can lead
to short-term effects including irritation of the eyes, lungs and skin, headaches, nausea,
dizziness or light-headedness. Some of these effects may also increase your risk of having an
accident. There can also be long-term effects on your health from repeated exposure to
particular solvents. These may include dermatitis and liver, kidney or neurological diseases